Son ‘stabbed his mother in the throat and killed her’

A MAN has told a murder trial how he found his wife collapsing and asking for help after she had been stabbed in the throat by their son who then assaulted him.

Billy Horgan’s son Paul Horgan, 27, denies murdering his mother Marian, 60, at the family home in Montenotte, Cork city, on November 23, 2015.

Mr Horgan Sr told the Central Criminal Court his son Paul had no history of violence and was not on any medication at the time of his mother’s death.

At 7am on November 23 he heard what sounded like an argument between his wife and his son in the kitchen, the court in Cork was told.

It was just raised voices and he didn’t think it was anything exceptional, he said.

Mr Horgan Sr went down to the kitchen where he found his wife with a knife stuck in her throat.

She said: ‘Help me,’ the court heard. Mr Horgan Sr tried to go to the assistance of his wife but she ‘fell to the floor’.

He told the court he said to his son: ‘Look what you are after doing to your mother.’

Mr Horgan Sr said his son appeared calm and was smiling. He said his son went for him and struck him with something at the side of the head.

The court heard Mr Horgan Sr ended up on the floor next to his wife. He said he had a stinging pain in his head as he had incurred a wound.

He ran from the house and said his son came after him ‘clicking’ knives. A neighbour assisted him and Paul was disarmed.

Mrs Horgan was pronounced dead at the scene at 8.18am by Dr Jason van der Veldt, the court heard. Paul Horgan was arrested and was taken to a garda station.

Assistant state pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster carried out a postmortem. The court heard she will say in evidence that Mrs Horgan incurred stab wounds to her right shoulder and left oesophageal region and defence wounds to the hand.

One of the stab wounds cut in to the skull bone through the base of the skull and through the jugular vein. There was a stab wound in the mouth and one between the thumb and forefinger. The case continues.