A WATERFORD man tried to kill his mentally ill wife by hitting her with a hammer because she would not stop talking the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Fintan Murphy (48), with an address at Waterford Regional Hospital, was originally charged with the attempted murder of his wife, Margaret Murphy on October 19th, 2008.
However, the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted his plea at the Central Criminal Court in May of this year of guilty to assault causing serious harm.
Mr Murphy also pleaded guilty to attempting to cause serious harm on the same date at Ardmore Park, Ballybeg, in Waterford. Det Garda Gerard Whelan of Waterford Garda station told the court Mr Murphy made a 999 call at approximately 8am on the morning of the attack.
He told gardaí; “I just tried to kill my wife. She is full of blood and has injuries to her head.” When gardaí arrived they found Mr Murphy soaked in blood and he indicated that his wife was upstairs. There gardaí discovered Ms Murphy lying on a bed conscious and covered in blood.
Mr Murphy was taken to Waterford Garda station where he made a full admission in the course of interviews.
He said; “I hit her with a hammer because she wouldn’t stop talking. I just wanted to shut her up she just talks and talks.” When asked by gardaí if he intended to kill his wife the accused replied; “Yes, I wanted to keep her quiet by hitting her with the hammer and then hang myself with a belt.” He told gardaí his wife suffered from bi-polar disorder and was having an episode in the hours prior to the attack.
The court heard that due to her illness Ms Murphy imagined there were people outside the house and she could not sleep because she was nervous.
The accused told gardaí he took a hammer from a bedroom when his wife was in the bathroom and then hit her with it.
Ms Murphy suffered a total of eight lacerations to her scalp and two fractured bones in her left hand but has since made a full recovery from her physical injuries.
In a statement to gardaí Ms Murphy said she had been married to the accused for seven years and he had never hurt her before.
Det Gda Whelan said Ms Murphy was currently a patient in the psychiatric department of Waterford Regional Hospital where she has been receiving treatment since January of this year.
The court heard the accused suffered from clinical depression and at the time of the incident had not taken his medication for two months. He has been receiving full-time psychiatric care at Waterford Regional Hospital since December 2008.
Mr Justice Paul Carney ordered that Mr Murphy continue to be remanded on bail until sentencing on Friday morning.