Ireland Crime

Reports the sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court where Ms Justice Eileen Creedon imposed a mandatory life sentence, including victim impact statements from the Serban family, trial evidence on the nature of the fatal wounds, and details of Blanaru's criminal history.

Reports the sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court where Ms Justice Eileen Creedon imposed a mandatory life sentence, including the victim impact statement from the victim's mother, trial evidence about the stab wounds, and the defence claim that the killing was provoked by an alleged affair which was later contradicted.

Reports the jury's unanimous murder conviction after three hours and two minutes of deliberation, details of the stab wounds, the judge's remarks, and the sentencing date of 10 April 2025.

Reports the jury's guilty verdict after a seven-week trial, including details of the injuries (two stab wounds, one 12cm to the chest puncturing heart, lung and aorta), witness testimony from family members, Blanaru's changing accounts to gardaí, and the fact the weapon was never located. Sentencing set for 10 April 2025.

Cross-examination of Det Sgt Robert Madden, who interviewed the accused at Ashbourne Garda station. Defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC argued the detective had prejudged the accused; Madden denied this. The trial continues before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury.

Adds garda testimony from the Central Criminal Court on 27 February 2025: the accused arrived at Drogheda Garda Station with blood on his clothes, was crying in custody, claimed to have drunk half a bottle of whiskey, and his welfare in custody was challenged in cross-examination.

Father Ronet Serban and sister Sarah Serban gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court murder trial, describing the accused's threats to kill the victim and her tendency to hide his violence.

Reports testimony from the accused's sister, Simona Terezia Ciurar, who told the jury she does not remember her brother saying 'I killed her' or 'he put a knife' in the victim, and that she was crying and very stressed when she made her original statements to gardaí. The DPP's senior counsel cross-examined her on two statements made on 12 and 16 August 2022. The trial continues before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon with an enlarged jury.

The article body is empty apart from website template code. The only content is the headline, which reports that a murder trial jury was told the victim was stabbed to death by a 'jealous' and 'controlling' partner. No location, date or names are given.

Opening of murder trial; prosecution case presented by senior counsel Eilis Brennan before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury.

Reports the opening of the State's case at the murder trial, Blanaru's not guilty plea, the prosecution's account of the relationship and the stab wounds, and Blanaru's account to gardaí that Serban came at him with a knife.

Reports the start of the murder trial on 11 February 2025, including the not guilty plea, the prosecution's outline of the case, and the expected length of the trial.