Courts / Louth / Report
Jury should've been allowed consider provocation defence at woman's murder trial, court told
Summary
In a 2018 Court of Appeal hearing, lawyers for Paula Farrell, aged 44, argued that her jury should have been allowed to consider a provocation defence in her murder trial. Farrell, who lives in Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, had been convicted of murdering her partner, Wayne McQuillan, aged 30, on 1 January 2014. The Central Criminal Court found her guilty after 3½ hours of deliberation, and she received a mandatory life sentence on 17 July 2015. Her defence team, led by Caroline Biggs SC, claimed that Farrell had been provoked by McQuillan's violent behaviour and that she suffered a sudden loss of self‑control, citing evidence from Garda interviews and her own statements. The trial judge had rejected provocation as a viable defence, citing a lack of rational basis. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Gerard Clarke SC, countered that all evidence relevant to provocation was also relevant to other defences and was rejected by the jury. Paula Farrell pleaded not guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jury should've been allowed consider provocation defence at woman's murder trial, court told. Charges or matters: the murder of Wayne McQuillan (30) at her home on January 1, 2014. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- January 1, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 17, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2018-05-08 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: the murder of Wayne McQuillan (30) at her home on January 1, 2014 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: A Central Criminal Court jury found Farrell guilty of murder after three-and-a-half hours of deliberations and she was given the mandatory life sentence by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy on July 17, 2015.
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
- The Central Criminal Court
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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