A 47-year-old woman has been found guilty of murdering her boyfriend by stabbing him four times with a large kitchen knife.
Paula Farrell of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, Co Louth killed him during a drunken row in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2014.
Paula Farrell accepted responsibility for Wayne McQuillan’s death, but denied murdering him, claiming she lost control after he tried to have sex with her against her will.
The couple had both been drinking heavily that night.
She claimed he started strangling her at one point.
She said she couldn’t breathe, and stabbed him with a kitchen knife.
A post mortem revealed he suffered four stab wounds, but she could only remember stabbing him twice.
Neighbours saw him at the door screaming for somebody to call an ambulance, before she appeared and told them not to.
This was her third time to stand trial for murder.
A previous conviction was overturned on appeal, and her second trial ended with a hung jury.
She was convicted again today after just under five hours of this jury’s deliberations, and handed the mandatory life sentence for murder.
In her Victim Impact Statement, Wayne’s sister Audrey said the fact her brother was killed by someone who should have loved and protected him will haunt the McQuillan family forever.
She said they’ll never forgive her.
Reporting by Frank Greaney
