A Tipperary man has admitted trying to hire an undercover garda to kill his estranged wife.
Patrick Rafferty (38), Ballina, Co Tipperary, had initially denied the charge at the Central Criminal Court in Limerick yesterday, where a jury was sworn in for the trial.
The case took a dramatic twist, however, when the father of three changed his plea minutes before the trial was due to get under way after lunch.
Rafferty pleaded guilty to soliciting Det Garda Patrick Crowley to murder his wife Mary Rafferty on February 7th, 2005, at an area between the Five Alley's Public House, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, and Daly's Cross, Castleconnell, Co Limerick.
The defendant's estranged wife as well as his current partner were in the public gallery of the Central Criminal Court.
Mr Rafferty's legal counsel, Brendan Nix SC, told the court that he had only come into the case last week. He said the sudden change of plea had "taken him by surprise" and that he was not ready to deal with the matter of sentencing.
Mr Justice Paul Carney described the offence to which Rafferty had pleaded guilty as a "rare one" here. It is understood this is only the second case of its type to come before Irish courts in recent years. He described as "harsh" sentences recommended in a law textbook by an English legal authority in relation to this offence. Before sentencing, he would like to have some research done on what kind of sentences this charge had warranted in this jurisdiction.
He adjourned the case until January 30th and remanded Rafferty on continuing bail.