Darren Murphy admits killing Olivia Dunlea as murder trial continues

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Darren Murphy admitted killing Olivia Dunlea but said he did not mean to kill her. His plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The proceedings were reported on 17 May 2017. Murphy’s murder trial was continuing.

The prosecution alleged that Murphy repeatedly stabbed Dunlea to death after an argument on 16 February 2013. The court heard that the couple had been drinking together that night.

Dunlea’s sister, Ann Power, told the jury that Murphy wanted to be alone with Dunlea all the time and described his behaviour as “suffocating”. Power accepted that the relationship was serious and said her sister had lots of time for him.