A verdict of unlawful killing was given into the death of two Dublin women at the County Coroner's court in Tallaght yesterday. The inquest was satisfied that Patricia McGauley (43) and Mary Cummins (36) died on September 12th, 1991, and July 23rd, 1992, respectively. Both women were killed by Michael Bambrick.
This is the first time that many of the details surrounding the killing of both women have come into the public domain.
Bambrick had already pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of both women at the Central Criminal Court in July 1996. He appeared in person at the inquest and statements of his were read out. He was sentenced to 18 years' penal servitude for the murder of Ms McGauley and 15 years for the killing of Ms Cummins, which he is serving at Arbour Hill prison. He confirmed that the two statements read to the jury were accurate accounts of what happened. Bambrick and Ms McGauley lived together with their two dau ghters at St Ronan's Park, Clondalkin. Their relationship was stormy. On the night of the murder they went into the city. They left their daughters with Ms Mc Gauley's mother who lived off Capel Street. In his statement Bambrick said he drank six pints and she also drank heavily.
They argued and Ms McGauley insisted on collecting the children and returning home. They put the children to bed and she asked Bambrick to get a packet of cigarettes. He refused and an argument ensued. In his first statement, which was read to the jury, Bambrick said they then had sex.
He tied her hands behind her with a pair of tights and gagged her. In his statement he said they often did this and she did not mind. She turned blue and he said he panicked. He got a scissors and when he returned she was dead. He took her to the box room. The next morning he took the children to school and called to Ms Mc Gauley's mother. He went home and dismembered the body. He took the parts to a nearby dump. In his second statement he admitted Ms McGauley had struggled.
Bambrick met Ms Cummins in a pub in Francis Street. His daughter Adrienne (8) was with him. He left the pub with Ms Cummins and his daughter and they took a taxi to his home. Mary Ms Cummins went out for the evening. They returned about midnight. In the living-room they kissed. Bambrick tied her hands behind her back. She struggled but he overpowered and gagged her. He saw she had gone blue; next thing she was dead, he said in his statement. He put her in the box room.
Soon after he cut off her legs with a hacksaw. He put the body in a black sack and dumped it in a nearby ditch at Kishogue. In his statement, Bambrick said he got a sexual thrill from tying up women. Soon after the statements were read, Bambrick left the court to return to Arbour Hill.
The remaining proceedings centred on two sites where the bodies were located, site A and site B. At site A gardai discovered skeletal remains and forensic evidence. They were reconstructed to establish the identity of Ms Cummins. Site B uncovered fragments of human remains including 12 parts of a human skull and a right rib bone. With DNA profiling it was established that these were the remains of Ms McGauley.
The main function of the inquest, according to the coroner, Dr Bartley Sheehan, was to establish the identity of both women and it was not concerned with the criminal elements in this case.
The jury was satisfied that both women had been identified. It concluded on advice from the coroner and expert witnesses that cause of death was unascertainable and delivered a verdict of unlawful killing.