Murder accused's mother charged over Limerick woman Carrie Mullane's death
Mary Lynch, 69, appeared at Dungannon Magistrates Court charged with withholding information after her son Michael Lynch was accused of murdering Carrie Mullane.
Mother of Enniskillen murder accused charged with withholding information
The mother of a man accused of murdering Carrie Mullane (Noonan) has been charged with failing to provide information knowing a murder had been committed, limerickleader.ie reports.
Mary Lynch, 69, from Windmill Heights, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, appeared at Dungannon Magistrates Court on Wednesday. The alleged offending is said to have occurred between October 10 and November 11.
Her son, Michael Lynch, 35, from Trasna Park, Enniskillen, faces charges of murdering Carrie and preventing the lawful burial of her body on October 10. Carrie, a 39-year-old mother-of-four from Moyross, Limerick, had been reported missing to An Garda Síochána after family and friends lost all contact with her.
Carrie reported missing; PSNI alerted
Gardaí learned Carrie had travelled north with Lynch and alerted the PSNI on October 29, describing her as high-risk. Officers attended Lynch's home in Enniskillen, where he confirmed she had arrived with him by bus on October 10. From that point, all communication with Carrie ceased, and police believe she was murdered that night.
Lynch initially claimed he fell asleep on the sofa and woke to find Carrie gone, stating she had later messaged him to say she had travelled to Derry/Londonderry. When police returned the following day, his account shifted: he said he had been "knocked out by a substance administered by Carrie" and that she had sent an "incoherent message" ending their relationship. He also alleged Carrie owed money to numerous people and had taken his benefits before leaving.
Campervan linked to inquiry
A campervan that had been parked outside Lynch's property for several months disappeared shortly after Carrie was last seen. Lynch asked a man to tow it to a scrapyard, and police subsequently recovered the vehicle. The scrapyard owner confirmed purchasing the van for £290 but told police he had grown suspicious when Lynch poured bleach down the toilet, knowing the van was about to be destroyed.
Lynch had also asked the same man to drive him to Carrybridge to deal with what he described as a "sinking boat."
Forensic examination of the van revealed bloodstaining on a carpet, a broken bed frame, and a shoe containing Carrie's DNA. A bloodstained carpet had also been removed from the living room of Lynch's house, and ten blood spatters found on the television contained DNA from both Carrie and Lynch.
On November 2, the case was formally upgraded to a murder investigation and Lynch was arrested. On November 5, police sealed off a jetty at Carrybridge, where a sunken boat was recovered for examination. Cell-site analysis showed that Carrie's phone never left Enniskillen, though multiple SIM cards had been used in it. Lynch's own SIM card is believed to have been placed in Carrie's phone and used to arrange the scrapping of the campervan.
A body was subsequently recovered from Lough Erne at Carrybridge. Identification procedures remain ongoing, but Carrie's family have been informed.
Mother present during alleged assault
During the bail hearing, a detective sergeant outlined the case against Mary Lynch. At the time police attended Trasna Park to speak with Lynch and conduct a search, Mary remained in her bedroom. She later travelled to the Republic of Ireland, though she returned after her son was charged.
CCTV footage from October 30 showed her purchasing a mobile phone in Enniskillen. She told police it was a birthday present for her son, despite his birthday falling in August.
During interview, Mary Lynch confirmed she had been in the property when Michael "hit Carrie four or five times." She said she intervened and sustained injuries herself, then helped Carrie up from the floor. The last time she saw Carrie was when she walked out of the house toward the campervan. She also confirmed that Lynch subsequently removed the carpet from the room, and admitted she had been worried about this.
Investigators noted that during questioning "she repeatedly said 'I couldn't save the girl'," and that she had told Michael to take Carrie to hospital. Following the incident, she said she was terrified and locked herself in her bedroom. She did not contact police while aware of the missing person alert, stating she did not believe Carrie was dead.
Bail refused for Lynch; mother remanded in custody
Bail was refused for Michael Lynch on the grounds of concerns about witness interference and the risk of reoffending, given what the court heard was a relevant record of significant domestic violence against previous partners.
The detective also objected to Mary Lynch's release, noting her subsequent travel to the Republic following the events at the property.
A defence barrister told the court that Mary Lynch had returned voluntarily and cooperated with police. The defence offered an address with her daughter in County Cork, adding that "Ms Lynch is also a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her son and has no local family support."
District Judge Francis Rafferty said he was "minded" to grant bail but indicated this would not extend to an address outside the jurisdiction of Northern Ireland, describing the application as premature at this stage. He remanded Mary Lynch in custody, ordering her to appear again by video-link on November 25.
Source: Google News IE — Crime (en)