A 54-year-old man has been found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict of murdering his wife by stabbing her to death in their Dublin home two years ago.
Alan Ward had argued that his culpability for killing Catherine Ward, 41, was substantially diminished by a stroke he suffered in 2017, but the jury of eight men and three women took a little over seven hours to reject the defence arguments.
The trial heard that Ward had assaulted his wife in 2002 and that gardaí were called to disputes at their home on four occasions prior to his stroke and once after the stroke.
The prosecution argued that Ward was not entitled to claim diminished responsibility because his behaviour was better explained by his intoxication, having drunk a large quantity of vodka before assaulting his wife.
They also pointed out his history of violence towards his wife, going back as far as 2002 when he was convicted of assaulting Catherine causing her harm.
During the trial, former Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis said Mrs Ward had suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck, face, left arm and left hand.
Ward, had pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife at the home they shared in Greenfort Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 on 1 March, 2019.
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The jury also found Ward guilty by a majority ten-to-one verdict of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to his son Adam Ward and of attempting to stab Adam on the same date.
During the trial, Adam told the jury that he emerged from his room after hearing a bang and saw his father in the doorway of his parents' bedroom striking downwards.
When Adam asked what he was doing, his father told him to get away from him "or I'm going to kill you," swiped at him with the blade and lunged towards him.
Adam stepped backwards, out of the way of the knife, and ran downstairs.
When he saw his father following he quickly unlocked the front door and ran across the street to where he saw a small group of people. He told them what had happened and one of them called gardaí.
Following the verdict, Mr Justice Tony Hunt exempted the jury from further service for 14 years.
He said he will hear victim impact statements from Adam and other members of Catherine Ward's family on 31 January before passing the mandatory life sentence for murder.
Sentencing for threatening to kill and for attempting to stab Adam Ward will take place on that day also.
