A MAN stabbed and strangled his lover after she taunted him about his sexual performance, a murder trial jury heard yesterday. The jury was told that Ms Valerie Linehan taunted Mr Gerard Mullane after the two had undressed to make love following a night's drinking.
The jury at the Central Criminal Court also heard that Mr Mullane told gardai he "completely flipped" after the taunts.
Mr Mullane (33) of Emly, Co Tipperary, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Linehan (21) at their flat in MacCurtain Street, Cork, on December 4th, 1994.
Defence counsel Mr Kevin Haugh SC said Mr Mullane was making a formal admission that he had killed Ms Linehan and the only issue was one of provocation. Mr Justice Carney told the jury they would have to decide if the killing amounted to murder or manslaughter.
Opening the prosecution case, Mr Joseph Matthews SC said it was "an enormous human tragedy". He said the accused came "unannounced and uninvited" to Anglesea Street Garda station at 3.05 a.m. on December 4th. Mr Mullane told the garda on duty: "Jesus, I need help. I've stabbed my girlfriend. I might have killed her."
He said: "If I hadn't come in here I'd have killed myself."
Mr Matthews said that Mr Mullane made a statement under caution to Garda John Leahy in which he said he had finished work around 3.30 p.m. and had three pints. He met Ms Linehan at 8.45 p.m. and they went to a local pub where they both had seven pints. They went back to their flat and drank more.
They were in bed and an argument started. Ms Linehan said he wasn't man enough. He said they were talking about a miscarriage Ms Linehan had had the previous week. Mr Mullane said that was when he "went mad".
He found a knife by the counter and Ms Linehan said: "You wouldn't, would you?" There was a struggle and he threw her back on the bed and struck her in the chest with the knife. "I completely flipped," he said.
He said he washed the blood off himself and went to get help for Ms Linehan. "I feel so bad now because I loved her," he said.
Mr Matthews said it was the State's case that when he could not perform sexually to Ms Linehan's satisfaction, was taunted and went to get the knife, he formed the intent to kill her.
Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said she carried out a post mortem examination on Ms Linehan. She was shown a knife which was consistent with having been used to inflict two stab wounds on the body.
Cross examined by Mr Haugh, Dr Bolster said the neck would have to be held for at least 30 to 40 seconds for the bruising she found. She said that Ms Linehan died at that particular time because of a combination of the stabbing and the strangulation.
The trial continues.