A DUBLIN man has been jailed for life after being found guilty of murdering his partner of 21 years.
He had kicked her in the stomach with enough force to rupture her liver during a row over Valium.
Derek Finlay had denied murdering Noeleen Brennan, with whom he had three children, at his home on Knockmore Green, Killinarden, Tallaght, in November 2008.
During the trial, the court heard that he and Ms Brennan had a violent relationship, and would often punch each other when they had a row.
The 38-year-old woman died from shock and haemorrhage when her liver ruptured after Finlay kicked her as she lay on the ground after falling down the stairs.
She was the youngest of a family of 11 children, and her brothers and sisters embraced and broke down in tears when the verdict was read out.
Fifteen years ago the second youngest of their sisters, Catherine Brennan, was shot dead along with her partner as they sat in a car in Tallaght.
She was just 29 at the time. The court heard that she was Noeleen’s best friend and that Noeleen developed a drinking problem following the death.
In his victim impact statement, Ms Brennan’s brother Anthony Brennan said Noeleen’s three children, Mark (19) and two girls (14 and 10), had taken the loss of their mother very badly.
“They have lost everything, their mother and their father. I’m not sure the court can understand our devastation.
“It is not the first time our family has lost a sister in tragic circumstances.
“The past few years have been hell for us, and we have to face this for the rest of our lives . . . there will never be one as good as Noeleen,” he said.
Finlay bowed his head as Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy handed down the mandatory life sentence.
Speaking on his behalf, his defence team said he wanted the Brennan family to know he is deeply sorry for what he did, and is also deeply affected by Ms Brennan’s death.
On November 14th, 2008, they spent the day together drinking and watching TV at his home. Finlay was a recovering heroin addict, and said he had taken too much methadone and Valium that day.
He went to bed in the early hours and was awoken a few minutes later by Ms Brennan, who demanded Valium from him, which he refused.
He told gardaí she started “ranting and raving”, so he jumped out of bed, put on his runners, and grabbed her by the throat.
During the ensuing fight he punched her in the face and grabbed her on the stairs, causing them to fall down the steps. As she lay on the ground she threatened she would get her nephews after him.
Finlay said his mind went blank and he lashed out, kicking her “an unmerciful boot” into the stomach. The trained kick-boxer compared it to a penalty kick in his subsequent interviews with detectives.
He told them he knew something was wrong when her face went grey, so he carried her into the living room, where she asked for an ambulance. She died some hours later in Tallaght hospital.
Finlay later told detectives she would have expected him to hit her that night because it was “just the way we were”.
“I just never meant to go that far with her,” he said. Finlay had pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the outset of the trial, but the DPP rejected the plea.
Speaking outside the court, Anthony Brennan said the family were happy with the verdict.
His sister Helen Brennan said the family would look after Noeleen’s three children, who had been left devastated.
“We’re just getting on with it now, we’re just trying to move on now,” she said.