Man is charged with stab murder of wife
A MAN has been charged with the murder of his wife, who was stabbed to death in their apartment last month.
The body of Anne Colomines, who was from France but had lived in Dublin for several years, was found on the night of October 24 last with multiple stab wounds.
Her 35-year-old Brazilian husband, Renato Gehlen, who also had serious injuries, was hospitalised for several days following the discovery of Ms Colomines’s body.
Officers at Mountjoy Garda Station responded at approximately 11.30pm on the night in question to a report of an incident at their home at Dorset Square Apartments in Dublin 1.
Ms Colomines, a senior team leader in PayPal, who was aged 37, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Mr Gehlen was arrested and detained last Friday at Mountjoy Garda Station.
He was charged with his wife’s murder and was held pending his appearance before Judge Anthony Halpin at Dublin District Court yesterday.
Dressed in a white jumper, grey tracksuit bottoms and runners with the laces removed, Mr Gehlen sat silently throughout the brief hearing.
Garda Sergeant Kenneth Hoare said the accused was arrested again for the purpose of being charged at 9.54pm on Saturday. The charge was put to him at 10.10pm, Judge Halpin was told yesterday. In response to the charge after caution, ‘he had no reply to make’, and was handed a copy of the charge, the court heard.
Judge Halpin noted that due to the nature of the offence, the district court cannot grant bail. Directions from the DPP were not available yet, Garda Sergeant Hoare said.
Judge Halpin acceded to a request from a defence solicitor to direct ‘all necessary medical attention’ for Mr Gehlen, who was remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Thursday.
The judge also granted legal aid and certified for a Portuguese interpreter.
The translator was not required for court appearances but for consultations with his solicitor, the judge noted.
There was no Garda objection to legal aid being granted. A statement of the defendant’s means was furnished to the court.
A bail application will have to be made in the High Court because the accused is facing a murder charge.