Accused denies civil servant murder bid by reason of insanity

A WOMAN arrested on suspicion of slicing a civil servant’s throat told gardai she “did it” because the Department of Social Protection were supposed to “look after people”.

Laura Kenna is charged with the attempted murder of Fionnuala Bourke and assault intending to cause serious harm to the same woman.

Arraigned before a jury at the Central Criminal Court on Monday, the 35-year-old pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to both counts.

Opening the case yesterday, prosecutor Anthony Sammon said the central issue was the state of mind of Kenna at the time.

He told the jury Ms Bourke was walking home from work at around 5pm on January 3, 2017, when she was attacked by Kenna with a knife at Lower Drumcondra Road, Drumcondra, North Dublin.

Mr Sammon said the civil servant’s “throat was slit” and she suffered “severe facial scarring”.

Det Sgt Ken Hoare told the court as Ms Bourke passed the junction of Clonliffe Road she noticed Kenna sitting on the wall outside one of the houses.

As Ms Bourke approached, the officer said Kenna “sprung up” and pushed her on to the grassy area between the footpath and traffic.

SLASHED

He added the accused was on top of Ms Bourke and started to stab her. The officer said the victim could feel short, sharp stabs going into her upper body.

She could feel her face and neck being slashed and thought she was going to be killed, before she managed to free herself.

The detective said when Kenna, of no fixed abode, was later cautioned, she replied: “I’m guilty. Yeah, I f***ing did it. Is she still alive? Yeah I did it, I sliced her like you would a goat. You couldn’t have stitched that up, I cut through her like butter.”

The officer added that Kenna also told him: “She took my house away from me, that’s why I killed her. F*** her, from the Department of Social Welfare, she’s meant to look after people.”

The witness said there was “nothing conclusive” to suggest the Department of Social Protection or any State agency had taken property from the defendant.

Defence counsel Barry White asked the detective whether he was aware Kenna was involved in another incident, two weeks before that involving Ms Bourke, where she stabbed a woman which resulted in a jury returning a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The officer replied: “I believe so.”

The trial before Mr Justice Robert Eagar continues.

I sliced her like you would a goat, I cut through her like butter WHAT LAURA KENNA ALLEGEDLY TOLD GARDAI