Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 2389Murder · Co. Dublin · 9 May 2022

Brian McHugh on trial for murder of Lisa Thompson in Ballymun, Dublin

Brian McHugh, 40, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Lisa Thompson, 52, who was found with 11 stab wounds to the chest and a window blind cord around her neck at her home in Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun, Dublin 11, on 9 May 2022. Trial evidence includes testimony from a neighbour about Thompson's prescription drug dealing, postmortem findings, and a description of the scene.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court5 Feb
    3 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
50 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatLisa Thompson was a mother of two. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHer body was found inside the door of her home with multiple stab wounds to the chest and a window blind cord wrapped around the neck. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatNeighbour Rachel Barton heard a lot of banging around 2am on 9 May. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe man put three bags in the back of a dark green jeep which drove towards the main road. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatTwo knives were missing from a block of knives in the kitchen. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe chance of the DNA coming from anyone else was one in one thousand million. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatCCTV footage shows a Hyundai Tucson pulling up in a laneway at Sandyhill Gardens on the night. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatAt 2.50am a man is captured leaving the property not through the front door, carrying something, and getting into the Tucson. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe Tucson arrived at an Applegreen service station in Finglas. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe car drove to Aldi in Finglas and was captured arriving at the Clayton hotel beside Dublin Airport. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatMcHugh was driving and the named woman was a passenger in the car. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatLisa Thompson was stabbed 11 times in the chest (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • whatA window blind cord was wrapped around her neck (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHer body was found inside the door of her home (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThompson was dealing Zimovane sleeping tablets from her house (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatShe would sell a tray of tablets for €15 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThompson gave a neighbour €20,000 to hold onto in case her house was raided by gardai (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThompson was separated, had two children, and was unemployed (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • whatHer friend entered the house on 10 May as the back door was unlocked and found her lying on the floor in the living room (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThere were six penetrating wounds to the heart, two of which went through and through (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThere were two penetrating wounds to the lung, one of which went through and through (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatPostmortem bloods showed evidence of antidepressants, an antipsychotic drug, Benzodiazepine and a sleeping tablet (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • whatThere were bruises on the scalp most likely from a struggle or assault (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA small gold ring with stones was found at the rear gate (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe main bedroom was totally ransacked with most wardrobe contents on the floor (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA window blind cord was wrapped around Thompson's neck (irishtimes.com)
  • whatBrian McHugh, 40, of Cairn Court, Poppintree, Ballymun, Dublin 11, pleaded not guilty to the murder (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThompson was dealing prescription drugs, namely Zimovane sleeping tablets, from her home (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThompson sold a tray of tablets for €15 (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThompson gave a neighbour €20,000 to hold on to in case her house was raided by gardaí (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThompson kept the tablets in a bag which hung off the side of her bed (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThompson cleared the tablets out of her house for fear gardaí would raid it (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThompson supplied Benzos and Zimovane to people (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThompson had a large amount of tablets in her attic (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThompson was wearing black shorts and a vest top with 10 slits over the left side of the chest (irishtimes.com)
  • whatBlood was oozing from Thompson's nose and mouth (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThere were 11 stab wounds to the left side on the front of the chest (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThere were six penetrating wounds to the heart and two went through her body (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThere was no evidence of trauma or injury to the vagina (irishtimes.com)
  • whatIt was difficult to tell whether the ligature strangulation or the stab wounds occurred first (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThere were bruises on the scalp most likely sustained from a struggle or assault (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSurvival was not possible with stab injuries of this kind (irishtimes.com)
  • whereBrian McHugh's address is Cairn Court, Poppintree, Ballymun, Dublin 11. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe postmortem was conducted on 11 May 2022 (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeDeath occurred from a combination of ligature strangulation causing asphyxia and multiple stab wounds to the left side of the chest (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponThe blade was at least 16cm long (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponThe majority of stab wounds were caused by a knife-shaped object with a single sharp edge (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA mixed DNA profile was found on the blind cord (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe accused man could not be excluded as a minor contributor to the DNA (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMcHugh pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 6 Feb2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Mother of two suffered multiple stab wounds in frenzied attack, court hears

    Trial evidence includes testimony from neighbour Sandra McMahon about Thompson's Zimovane and Benzo dealing, postmortem findings from Chief State Pathologist Linda Mulligan confirming death from ligature strangulation and multiple stab wounds, and scene description from Det Garda Janette O'Neill noting the bedroom was ransacked but there was no sign of a break-in.

    victim, Lisa Thompson, 52, female, irish (judged from name)Lisa Thompsonaccused, Brian McHugh, 40, male, named, irish (judged from name)Brian McHugh
  2. 6 Feb2025
    In courtirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Stabbed to death mum-of-two was dealing prescription drugs from home, court told

    Trial evidence includes testimony from neighbour Sandra McMahon about Thompson's prescription drug dealing and the postmortem findings from Chief State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan detailing 11 stab wounds to the chest, ligature strangulation, and the cause of death.

    victim, Lisa Thompson, 52, female, irish (judged from name)Lisa Thompsonaccused, Brian McHugh, 40, male, named, irish (judged from name)Brian McHugh
  3. 5 Feb2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Woman’s body found with window blind cord wrapped around her neck, murder trial told

    Prosecution opening statement details the full evidential case: CCTV of McHugh arriving at 1.30am and leaving at 2.50am, DNA on the blind cord, two missing knives, the Hyundai Tucson's route to Finglas and the Clayton Hotel, and searches recovering jewellery, medication, house keys and a valuation certificate bearing McHugh's fingerprints. Trial before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor expected to last three weeks.

    victim, Lisa Thompson, 52, female, irish (judged from name)Lisa Thompsonsuspect, Brian McHugh, 40, male, named, irish (judged from name)Brian McHugh