A Dingle, Co Kerry, man who choked a 19-year-old Dublin woman to death was sentenced to life imprisonment for her murder yesterday at the Central Criminal Court.
Gerard Graham (35), a fisherman from John Street, Dingle, pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Charlene McAuliffe, at Kilnap Place, Farranree, Cork, between October 2nd and 3rd, 1999.
He had pleaded not guilty but the jury was discharged when he changed his plea. After he was re-arraigned, Mr Justice Kearns sentenced him to the mandatory term of life imprisonment.
The court heard that Graham first hit Ms McAuliffe with a wok and then choked her to death.
Prosecution lawyer Mr Michael Counihan SC said Ms McAuliffe, from Clondalkin, Dublin, had been living in Dingle in 1998 and 1999. She was a drug user and had become friendly with Graham.
Following a visit to England, she stayed with a mutual friend of hers and Graham's. Graham stayed in the house and on October 2nd an argument developed, after which he attacked her.
Mr Patrick Gageby SC, for the defence, read a statement in which Graham expressed "deepest remorse". He extended apologies to her family and friends and said he was sorry for the shame he had brought on his family.