Courts / Clare / Report

'He stabbed me, Ma': mother held son as he lay dying

Date
2022-07-26

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Ennis

County
Clare

Summary

In a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, mother Catherine Martin recounted the death of her son Eoin Boylan, 32, who was stabbed to death by Nassar Ahmed, 41, on 14 April 2020. Martin described how Ahmed, who had been living with Boylan's partner Susan O'Doherty, entered the house during a lockdown argument, lunged at Boylan with a knife and stabbed him three times. CCTV footage showed the attack, and the jury convicted Ahmed of murder after two hours. Justice Eileen Creedon imposed a mandatory life sentence. Martin's testimony highlighted the personal grief and the impact of Boylan's death on his family, while the prosecution argued the attack was a deliberate "sneak attack" and not self‑defence. The defence acknowledged the moral culpability of the act but maintained that Ahmed's fear justified his use of force.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'He stabbed me, Ma': mother held son as he lay dying. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When:

April 14, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
November 2018 Other
2022-07-26 Publication

Why: Closing Closing the prosecution case, Mr Staines told the jury that the issue of self-defence does not arise because Ahmed had carried out an "intentional, deliberate and repeated stabbing". Prosecution account reported by CNI