In the Central Criminal Court, 27-year-old Martin Doherty has denied murdering his parents William and Teresa Doherty at their home in Monadreen Thurles in September 1998. The issue of insanity may arise in the case. 58-year-old Bill Doherty, who had recently retired from the Gardaí, and his 50-year-old wife Teresa were stabbed to death in their home. The case was described as gruesome and unpleasant by the prosecuting counsel, Patrick Gageby, today as the couple's son Martin went on trial for their murder.
In a statement to Gardaí, Martin Doherty said that he stabbed his mother and father anywhere he could get them. After killing them the statement said, the accused washed, changed his clothes, had a cup of tea and a cheese sandwich. Later he inflicted further injuries on the couple, now most likely dead.
It was Martin Doherty's younger brother Colin who discovered the scene and raised the alarm. He told the jury today how Martin locked him out of the house and enticed him to look in through a window saying "Look what I've done." However, Colin Doherty said that the Martin he saw that night was not the Martin he grew up with. Under cross examination by Paddy McEntee he acknowledged that his brother had spent time in two psychiatric hospitals, that he was abusing drugs and that leading up to the murders he believed he had been sexually molested by his father. Colin Doherty said that there was absolutely no basis to his brother's claim. He said that he came from an ordinary, loving and close-knit family.
The trial before a jury of six men and six women continues tomorrow.
