Courts / Offaly / Report
Teen bludgeoned woman to death before posting video and taking selfie with body
Summary
A 17‑year‑old boy, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at 18 months, used a sledgehammer and a lump hammer to bludgeon 51‑year‑old laboratory technician Lorna Woodnutt to death on 29 September 2023 at a rural property outside Tullamore, Co Offaly. He recorded the attack and posted a 17‑second video on Snapchat, sharing it with a "three‑figure number" of contacts before removing it when Gardaí arrived. The video showed the victim's body with severe facial injuries, a large skull hole and brain matter on the floor. The boy also sent a selfie with the body in the background. He pleaded guilty earlier in the month. The court heard that he had called 999 twice after the killing and that his phone contained searches about hammer attacks and psychopath behaviour. The case was adjourned to 3 October, with the defendant to be detained at Oberstown Children Detention Centre pending sentencing.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Teen bludgeoned woman to death before posting video and taking selfie with body. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- September 29, 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 29 Incident
- October 3 Adjournment
- 2024-07-22 Publication
Why: The court also heard during today's sentence hearing that the now 17-year-old defendant, who cannot be identified because he is a minor, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at 18 months old and there had been an increase in his aggressive and oppositional behavioural issues towards staff and students in his school in the weeks leading up to the killing. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: The court also heard during today's sentence hearing that the now 17-year-old defendant, who cannot be identified because he is a minor, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at 18 months old and there had been an increase in his aggressive and oppositional behavioural issues towards staff and students in his school in the weeks leading up to the killing.; He adjourned the case until October 3 and directed that the boy be detained at Oberstown Children Detention Centre until then.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- phoned the local garda station
- of Portlaoise Garda Station
- Portlaoise
Topics
Related court reports
- 'I'm going to kill you' - Carjacker held knife to elderly woman's throat
- Pharmacist dismissed within weeks of disclosing pregnancy wins €50k
- Ashling Murderer loses bid to have life sentence backdated
- Balaclava attacker claims car search breached his rights
- Scope of Jozef Puska's conviction appeal may change, lawyers tell court
- Not an 'iota' of support for shooting victim's recognition evidence, defence tell jury
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request