Courts / Clare / Report

Woman gets five years for killing partner in self defence

Date
2025-03-03

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Ennis

County
Clare

Summary

A 50-year-old woman, November Phelan, was sentenced to six years imprisonment with the final year suspended for a period of three years, on the condition that she remain under the supervision of the probation services and engage with counselling and addiction services. The sentence was passed by Mr Justice Paul Burns at the Central Criminal Court following a validated procedural stage of sentence. Phelan had pleaded guilty to manslaughter when she was arraigned before the court. The court heard that Phelan had been in a relationship with the deceased, David Ennis, and that both had significant problems involving long-term substance abuse. Mr Justice Burns noted that Phelan had acted in self-defence in response to an anticipated attack from Ennis. The judge acknowledged Phelan's guilty plea, her expression of remorse, and her long-term struggle with drug addiction and depression. The matter was not adjourned and was finalised with the sentence being backdated to October 27, 2023, when Phelan went into custody.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Woman gets five years for killing partner in self defence. Charges or matters: manslaughter when she was arraigned before the court. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

November 8, 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
October 27 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
2025-03-03 Publication

Case subjects

November Phelan

Defendant

Charges: manslaughter when she was arraigned before the court (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Before delivering the sentence today, Mr Justice Burns said that Phelan and Mr Ennis had been in a relationship and that unfortunately the pair had significant problems involving long term substance abuse and that their lives had reflected their drug addictions. Having considered mitigation, the judge sentenced Phelan to six years imprisonment with the final year suspended for a period of three years on the basis that she remain under the supervision of the probation services for that time and engage with counselling and addiction services.