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. 1650Murder · Co. Wicklow · 24 Dec 2021

Man jailed for life for stabbing wife 14 times on Christmas Eve in Enniskerry

Bahaalddin Alshwawrah, 45, was sentenced to life in prison at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his wife Zeinat Bashabsheh, 42, who was stabbed 14 times with a single-edged blade on Christmas Eve 2021 at their home in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow. He recorded her dying on his mobile phone and shared the video on Facebook with the message 'I killed my wife.'

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced19 May
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
16 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe defendant recorded his wife on his mobile phone as she lay dying. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatTwo neighbours found the victim slumped on the floor in a corner of the kitchen with multiple stab wounds to her torso. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe made allegations that his wife had an affair and said he was videoing the incident to send to another man. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe defendant did not offer any assistance to his wife while she was dying. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatIn 2018 the victim obtained an interim barring order against her husband, alleging he had stabbed her with a knife. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe defendant has two previous convictions from Jordan, one for simple injury in 1999 and one for simple injury/threats in 2004. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe couple met online, she travelled to Jordan to meet him, and they married and relocated to Ireland. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThey had three children together and the victim had two children from a previous relationship. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatIn interview the defendant suggested he had been a victim of violence by his wife, but no evidence of this was found. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe murder took place at Park Na Sillogue Court, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe murder occurred on Christmas Eve, 24 December 2021. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe cause of death was stab wounds to the chest. (irishtimes.com)
  • weaponThe victim was stabbed 14 times with a single-edged blade. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe sentencing took place at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtA trial date was originally fixed for 12 May 2025 before a plea was entered in April. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge imposed the mandatory sentence of life in prison. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 19 May2025
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    ‘Our beloved Zeinat was brutally taken from us’: Man who stabbed wife 14 times on Christmas Eve jailed for life

    Sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court; mandatory life sentence imposed by Mr Justice Tony Hunt. A plea was entered in April 2025, replacing a trial originally fixed for 12 May 2025.

    victim, Zeinat Bashabsheh, 42, female, non-irish (judged from name)Zeinat Bashabshehconvicted, Bahaalddin Alshwawrah, 45, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Bahaalddin Alshwawrah