TRIAL OPENS OF INVERIN WOMAN ACCUSED OF CITY MURDER

Date Published: 15-Jan-2013

The trial of a 31 year old Inverin woman charged with the murder of her former boyfriend in Galway city two years ago, opened before a jury at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Galway at noon.

31 year old Maura Thornton, a native of Inverin, Bealadangan, is charged with the murder of 59 year old Kevin Joyce at 183 Upper Salthill , Salthill on July 31, 2011.

Dressed in black trousers, black top and grey coat, Ms. Thornton broke down and cried openly as the charge was put to her in front of a packed courtroom.

It took her a few seconds to compose herself before she replied ‘not guilty’ to the murder charge.

A jury of six men and six women was empanelled to hear evidence in the trial which is expected to last two weeks before Mr Justice Barry White.

Paul Greene, prosecuting, said evidence would emerge during the trial that Mr Joyce had been stabbed 17 times and that two of those stab wounds had proved fatal.