The former partner of a man whose dismembered and headless body was pulled from the Royal Canal has claimed he raped her on an almost daily basis and she feared he might kill her. She said he had also been interviewed as a suspect in an unsolved murder case in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin.
The woman, who counsel requested the media not name to protect her privacy, was giving evidence in the trial of sisters Charlotte (23) and Linda Mulhall (31) from Kilclare Gardens, Tallaght, who have both pleaded not guilty to the murder of their mother's partner, a man known as Farah Swaleh Noor (also known as Sheilila Salim), of Richmond Cottages, Ballybough, Dublin, on March 20th, 2005. Passers-by saw his arms and legs floating in the Royal Canal 10 days after the alleged murder.
The witness said she met Mr Noor on the day of her 16th birthday and had since had a son by him. The now married mother-of-three said he was a "lovely man" at first but changed when he had a drink on him.
She also agreed with George Birmingham SC, prosecuting, that the deceased carried knives. She said he had pulled her hair and hit her on the head. "He abused me so I just got up and left him," she told the jury.
She said she had taken out a protection order against him and had secured full custody of their child.
Under cross examination by Brendan Grehan SC for Linda Mulhall, the witness detailed more of the abuse she claims she suffered at the hands of the deceased, and agreed she had fears that her son was being abused by him. She agreed she had been raped on numerous occasions and had had "very brutal sex" with the deceased at his whim.
She said the mother of the two accused, Kathleen Mulhall, had contacted her on a number of occasions, making complaints about Mr Noor and seeking advice. The witness suggested Ms Mulhall should leave him.
She also agreed she had called the Garda on a number of occasions and had told them that Mr Noor was aggressive, had a short temper and was "someone who'd fight or get into rows at the drop of a hat".
She agreed she had also had a row with Mr Noor on a day out in Sandycove, Co Dublin, where he was carrying a knife. He had also made comments to friends of hers about the killing of a young woman in Dún Laoghaire and had been questioned about it, but gardaí said they had eliminated him from their inquiries.