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Man accused of murdering Laois nanny told gardai he "snapped" and "hit her and hit her"

Summary

In a 2014 Central Criminal Court hearing, Robert Corbet, a 25‑year‑old from Sheffield Cross, Laois, was charged with the murder of 30‑year‑old nanny Aoife Phelan. Corbet pleaded not guilty but admitted manslaughter. He told Gardaí that he had snapped after Phelan threatened to ruin him if he walked away from her and her pregnancy. He claimed he had met her in his jeep on 25 October, that she had been "pushy" about not being in a relationship, and that he struck her on the head several times. Corbet said he then drove to Dublin, left her body on a bridge, and tried to dispose of it. He denied any recent phone contact about a pregnancy, but phone records and deleted WhatsApp messages were presented. The case was heard before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man accused of murdering Laois nanny told gardai he "snapped" and "hit her and hit her". Charges or matters: her murder. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• October 25th Other
• November 7th Other
• October 23rd Hearing Or Sentence
• 2014-05-15 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

Related court reports

• "We have our angel back": Life in prison for man who strangled nanny and hid her body in a pit
• Discovery of Nanny's body in barrel the "saddest and most gruesome discovery made"
• Aoife Phelan repeatedly struck before her body dumped, court hears

Read the original CNI report