The jury has failed to agree a verdict in the trial of a 23-year-old woman accused of murdering a 66-year-old man who died when he was hit by her car.
Claire Nolan, of Sheephill Green in Blanchardstown, denies murdering Michael Duffy in the driveway of his son's home on the 26 January 2008. She has admitted manslaughter.
The court heard that Ms Nolan had been involved in a row with the dead man's son, Francis Duffy, who had been seen trying to break into her car.
After an altercation, she drove her car into his driveway at Wellview Grove in Blanchardstown and struck his father, who was a retired taxi driver.
The trial heard Ms Nolan was visiting the house next door and had been drinking and taking cocaine and sleeping tablets.
She told gardaí she had ‘lost it; when she discovered Francis Duffy had been trying to break into her car.
She said she did not mean to kill anyone and had driven through the garden gates to frighten Francis Duffy but had hit his father instead.
Michael Duffy, a retired taxi driver, died after his spine was broken, his spinal cord severed and part of his heart and liver were crushed.
Ms Nolan told gardaí: ‘I didn’t mean to squash him. I don't know what I meant to do. I couldn’t stop, I couldn’t brake and I ended up squashing the man.’
The prosecution said it was manifestly clear it was not an accident and said Claire Nolan had tons of motive and had acted from revenge.
Counsel for the prosecution Patrick Gageby said there were elements of planning, premeditation and skilled driving in her actions.
However Brendan Grehan for the defence said Ms Nolan was provoked and was ‘totally out of control and unable to act in any reasonable, rational or logical way…and determined to do something that was grossly dangerous to herself.
He said she accepted that she had killed, that she had taken a life but she was not a murderer.’
The jury was told that in considering the murder charge, it was irrelevant whether or not the person killed was the person at whom the intent to kill or seriously injure was directed.
However, after over six and half hours of deliberation today the jury failed to agree on a verdict.
The case has been adjourned to later this month when a new trial date will be set.
