A Spanish court has convicted a man of murdering a Dublin woman on the Costa Blanca three years ago.
Alan Daulby was today found guilty by a jury at the court in Elche, near Alicante, of killing his ex-girlfriend Avril Flanagan at the flat they had shared in the resort of Cabo Roig.
Daulby (26), who had previously blamed Ms Flanagan’s death on a mystery intruder, admitted in court yesterday that he had stabbed her nearly 50 times.
The jury returned a majority guilty verdict.
Judge Gracia Serrano reserved sentencing to a later date. He warned Daulby he could expect to be jailed for up to 20 years, the maximum under Spanish law.
Daulby’s defence lawyer, Francisco Franco, claimed his client he was deluded into thinking his victim was an intruder through alcohol, drugs and paranoia sparked by a row with her family the previous weekend.
Ms Flanagan (20), originally from Swords, Co Dublin, was killed at about 10am on May 29th, 2009 after going to the flat the couple had shared before splitting up the previous week.
Daulby’s father, Alan snr, found her body wrapped in plastic under a sofa in the apartment after her mother, Barbara, reported her missing. Barbara and her daughter were due to travel back to Ireland later that day for Avril’s 21st birthday.
Daulby (26), from Liverpool, was arrested 200km away later that day after allegedly trying to dispose of evidence linking him to the crime and going on the run.
Psychiatrists gave evidence by video conference stating Daulby showed no signs of mental illness when they examined him.