Man died after being stabbed by wife in Co Wexford, trial hears

A man killed by his wife received a “rapidly fatal wound” when she stabbed him in the chest, a jury has heard.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster gave evidence in the trial of Sarah Doyle, who is accused of the murder of Philip Doyle.

The incident happened during the early hours of Sunday 26th January, 2020 at their home, after Sarah Doyle and her mother-in-law Jackie Doyle came home from a night out in Gorey, Co Wexford.

Ms Doyle (32) from The Heath, Ramsgate, Gorey has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Philip Doyle (33).

Ms Bolster told the Central Criminal Court sitting in Waterford that she conducted her examination on the deceased the day following the stabbing, having been briefed that there had been an altercation at the family’s home where Philip Doyle “tried to physically remove” Sarah Doyle from the upstairs of the house following an incident with his mother.

She was told that he was stabbed twice during the incident in the hallway before collapsing in the garden.

The kitchen knife measured 19.5cm in length and had a blunt upper edge and a sharp lower edge, which matched the two wounds inflicted on Philip Doyle

Family members left the courtroom crying after the weapon was presented as an exhibit to the jury.

Ms Bolster said there was no evidence of injuries dealt by sharp weapons to the hands of the deceased.

Blood tests found traces of alcohol in Mr Doyle and no traces of drugs.

The jury heard from interviews conducted by detectives the day following the incident with Sarah Doyle, where she told them that she loved Philip.

She told gardaí­ “I’m going to get sick” before breaking from the interview.

When she returned, she said Philip Doyle had “dragged” her down the stairs by her hair when trying to remove her from the house.

Detectives Jacinta Gordon and Darren Coleman had noted in the interview that she had been photographed by Garda colleagues at the station earlier, with bruises on her nose and arm.

The accused said her late husband had been violent towards her and had “punched” her in the face during the incident.

The couple had moved to Gorey seven months earlier with their two toddler sons, having originally come from Bray in Co Wicklow. Philip’s seven-year-old daughter was also in the house on the night of the incident.

The trial continues.