Teenage boy pleads guilty to murder of Lorna Woodnutt

Alison O'Riordan

A teenage boy who was due to stand trial at the Central Criminal Court on Monday has admitted murdering a woman at a residential property in Co Offaly last year.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be identified because he is a minor, was charged with the murder of Lorna Woodnutt, aged in her 40s, at a property in a rural area outside Tullamore, Co Offaly on September 29th, 2023.

Prior to the boy's arraignment on Monday, Mr Justice Paul McDermott told the teenager that as he was under 18 years of age he was being dealt with under The Children's Act. He asked the boy whether this had been explained to him by his lawyers and the boy replied that it had.

As the defendant is a minor, the mandatory life sentence for murder will not apply.

The judge explained to the teenager that a formal process would now be carried out, where the single charge on the indictment would be read out to him.

"You have taken advice from your lawyers and are you in a position where you are happy to proceed with this?" asked the judge. The boy said he was.

Dressed in a black jumper and navy tracksuit bottoms, the boy stood and pleaded guilty when the charge of murder was put to him by the registrar at the Central Criminal Court on Monday afternoon.

Defence counsel James Dwyer SC, for the boy, asked the judge to direct a probation report and to remand his client in detention for a specific period of time. He asked the court to fix a sentence date towards the end of July.

Michael Delaney SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), said the prosecution was seeking to adduce a victim impact statement and that the sentence hearing would "take some time; half a day".

Mr Justice McDermott directed the preparation of a probation service report and a victim impact statement. He also directed that the boy be detained at Oberstown Children's Detention Centre until July 22nd, when his sentence hearing will take place.

Mr Dwyer informed the court that the defence already had a psychiatric report which they would furnish to the prosecution and the probation service.

Mr Justice McDermott asked Mr Dwyer whether the defence report raised any issues. Mr Dwyer said there was "the potential for issues".