A Dublin man who was jailed for life after being found guilty of the murder of his wife had his conviction upheld by the Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday. A jury of nine men and three women at the Central Criminal Court had unanimously found Michael Halligan guilty in March of his wife's murder after just an hour's deliberations.
His wife, Martina (33), had collapsed outside a neighbour's house after the attack by Halligan, who stabbed her seven times with a bread knife.
Halligan (39), formerly of Buttercup Park, Darndale, Dublin, had denied the murder of his wife at that address on May 5th, 1996.
In his evidence in the Central Criminal Court, Halligan admitted he was responsible for his wife's death but said he had no recollection of stabbing her.
Mr Justice O'Flaherty, who sat with Mr Justice Lavan and Mr Justice McCracken, dismissed the appeal.