A man has been convicted of the murder of a 21-year-old Amy Farrell in Co Cavan last year.
Brendan McGahern, 28, of Drumcarey, Colismore, Co Cavan, was found guilty of the murder of Ms Farrell on 20 January 2006 at an address in Glenlara.
He had pleaded not guilty to murder, but guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The jury of eight men and four women at the Central Criminal Court returned the verdict after one hour and ten minutes of deliberations.
Mr Justice Paul Carney sentenced McGahern to the mandatory life in prison and refused leave to appeal. Members of Ms Farrell's family broke down as the verdict was delivered.
The trial heard that Amy Farrell died on her front lawn from three stab wounds.
The court was told that Ms Farrell had given evidence at Virginia District Court the day before she was killed, against a man who was friends with Mr McGahern. That man was convicted of assaulting Ms Farrell and her friend and was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
Mr McGahern had been present at the court on that day.
The trial also heard that Mr McGahern was brain damaged at birth, was illiterate and had drug and alcohol problems.
In his victim impact statement, Amy's father Paul Farrell said he did not want to sound like he was angry or like he was a grief stricken parent. But he said he was angry and heartbroken.
He said he never thought he would see the day when he would be in court trying to paint a picture of their most cherished daughter.
Mr Farrell said Amy had only been living in Cavan for six weeks before the murder took place.
