Paula Farrell murder trial reaches end of prosecution case

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

The prosecution case in Paula Farrell’s murder trial at the Central Criminal Court concluded. The proceedings were reported on 3 July 2015.

Paula Farrell, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, Co Louth, was charged with murdering her partner Wayne McQuillan at her home on 1 January 2014. She pleaded not guilty.

Prosecution counsel Gerard Clarke SC told the jury they would hear four interviews conducted with Paula Farrell at Drogheda Garda Station on 1 and 2 January 2014.

In an interview read by prosecution barrister Maurice Coffey BL, Paula Farrell said Wayne McQuillan had choked her and banged her head against a wall. She said she probably punched him first, got away from him, obtained a knife and stabbed him, but did not mean to kill him.

Maurice Coffey also read her account of spending several minutes washing blood from her hands after Wayne McQuillan requested an ambulance. In the third interview, taken on 2 January 2014, she described stabbing him as he walked out of the kitchen and again after he slumped near the front door.

Paula Farrell told Gda Paul Sweeney she did not want Wayne McQuillan dead and wanted to hurt him as he had hurt her. She agreed he posed no threat after three stabbings in the kitchen and that it was time to back off.

Defence counsel Derek Kenneally SC sought time to consider his position. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said the defence might or might not call evidence on Monday and told jurors he would see them at 2pm.