Scarlett Faulkner Murder Trial: Accused Blames Husband for Hatchet Attack

A 41-year-old woman accused of murdering Scarlett Faulkner has told gardaí she "didn't lay a finger on that girl" and instead blamed her estranged husband for the fatal events at Birdhill, County Tipperary, on 21 March 2026, Daily Dazzling Dawn understands. The accused, who denies murdering the 28-year-old Limerick mother, made the assertions during a series of interviews at Nenagh Garda Station on 26 March 2026, while Ms Faulkner remained in a coma from which she would never recover. Ms Faulkner died on 13 April 2026. The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo and a jury of eight women and four men.

Accused Claims Husband Brandished Hatchet- Daily Dazzling Dawn understands the jury was shown video recordings of the interviews in which the accused described a chaotic scene near the Birdhill roundabout, just off the M7 motorway between Limerick and Nenagh. She claimed her husband rammed her seven-seater Volkswagen before emerging from his van wielding a hatchet. "He was out with a big hatchet breaking windows in on top of us," she told gardaí, according to Daily Dazzling Dawn. She added that he threatened to "cut her head off" when she attempted to retrieve the keys from the vehicle. She asserted that her husband's actions constituted attempted murder and declared: "He did all this to me, I'm the victim, not him."

The prosecution, led by Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing SC, presents a markedly different account. The State alleges the accused engaged in a joint enterprise with a 17-year-old co-defendant to kill or cause serious harm to Ms Faulkner and her husband, having "hunted down" the pair for approximately 24 hours prior to the collision. The court heard that the older woman allegedly rammed her husband's van until both vehicles stopped near the roundabout. It is further alleged that the 17-year-old, who cannot be identified due to her age, inflicted fatal injuries on Ms Faulkner using an iron bar.

Complex Web of Allegations and Denials- The 17-year-old has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The 41-year-old has entered not guilty pleas to murder, as well as to charges of burglary and assault causing harm at addresses in County Tipperary and Limerick on 20 and 21 March respectively. Throughout the interviews, the accused painted a portrait of a marriage in terminal decline. She described her husband, the father of her children, in highly critical terms, saying he had ruined many people's lives. Daily Dazzling Dawn learned she told gardaí she was heartbroken when she discovered he had left her for another woman. "I was supposed to be his whole world," she said. "He used to say, 'I don't just love you, I'm infatuated with you.'" She alleged her husband had taken her van to purchase crack cocaine for Ms Faulkner, whom she claimed was involved with him only to obtain drugs.

When asked about Ms Faulkner directly, the accused offered a qualified statement, telling Daily Dazzling Dawn's court correspondent that she did not condone what happened. "It was wrong what happened to the girl," she said. "That girl had no ties to me, she was wrong to go with a married man, but she wasn't the one who was married to me." She further alleged that Ms Faulkner had a history of involvement with married men and made disparaging remarks about her character.

Defence Challenges Prosecution Narrative- The defence strategy appears to hinge on shifting responsibility to the accused's husband. Daily Dazzling Dawn understands the woman told gardaí that her co-accused struck Ms Faulkner "a couple of tips" with a stick, but insisted: "There's no way she could have sustained those injuries with a stick." She maintained that her husband was "the only person that had a hatchet at all times." She also claimed her husband had previously attacked her and that gardaí had failed to respond to her call earlier on the day of the incident. "If gardaí had responded to my call that morning, none of this would have happened," she said.

The court also heard from Detective Garda Seamus Kelly, who confirmed the accused was arrested on 26 March 2026 on suspicion of conspiracy to cause serious harm. When informed of the nature of the arrest, the woman reportedly replied that her husband and Ms Faulkner were "the ones who did that." She said she did not understand why she had been arrested and described her husband in highly critical terms, according to Daily Dazzling Dawn.

The trial is expected to continue next Monday, with the prosecution seeking to establish the chain of events that led to Ms Faulkner's death and to prove the existence of a joint enterprise between the two accused. The case has drawn significant attention across Ireland, highlighting issues of domestic turmoil and the devastating consequences of fatal violence.