A 27-year-old Cork man was “relaxed and cool” after allegedly stabbing his mother in their home, his murder trial has heard.
Paul Horgan (27) is charged with the murder of his mother Marian Horgan (60) at Murmont Avenue in Montenotte in Cork city on November 23rd, 2015. He has pleaded not guilty in the case which got underway at a Central Criminal Court hearing in Cork on Friday.
His father, Billy Horgan, told the trial he went down to the kitchen in the family home to find his wife collapsing and asking for help after she had been stabbed in the throat by their son, who then assaulted him.
Billy told Justice Pat McCarthy that he and his wife Marian had been married for 39 years. He said Paul had no history of violence and was not on any medication at the time of the incident. He was doing a computer course but had not worked for a few years.
On November 22nd, 2015 Billy went to the local GAA club and returned home to find Paul, who lived at home, watching television. He told him not to stay up too late and went up to bed.
At 7am the following day he got up to what sounded like an argument between Marian and Paul in the kitchen. It was just raised voices and he didn’t think it was anything exceptional.
He went down to the kitchen where he found Marian had a knife stuck in her throat. She said, “Help me.” He tried to go to the assistance of his wife but she “fell to the floor.”
He told the court that he said to his son,“Look what you are after doing to your mother” . He said Paul appeared calm and was smiling.
He said Paul went for him and struck him with something at the side of the head.
Billy said he ran from the house and that Paul came after him “clicking” knives. A neighbour assisted and Paul was disarmed.
A neighbour of the couple, Fergus O’Donoghue, told the court Billy was covered in blood. He said Paul was “relaxed and cool.” Paul was trying to get at his father but he restrained him.
He said he went in to the Horgan house and that it was “quite clear that there wasn’t anything you could do” for Marian.
Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster carried out a postmortem on the deceased. She will say in evidence that Marian Horgan incurred stab wounds to her right shoulder and left oesophageal region and defence wounds to the hand.
The case continues next week.