A 33-year-old mother of three with 49 previous convictions who stabbed her former lover to death during a "chaotic" period in her life wants to re-enter society as a better person, her barrister has told the Central Criminal Court.

“This was absolute madness."

Tom McDonnell claimed he was a victim of "gross fraud"

"He put a knife to my throat that morning, and has punched me on a number of occasions"

The defendant had threatened to knock a man’s home with a JCB, and claimed he was “a shapeshifter”.

The homeowner found all the bedrooms ransacked

“I’m not convinced of his remorse.”

“She was the tail end?”

A guilty plea was entered

“He doesn’t remember it, he was so highly intoxicated."

“It is alleged this man had been on a drinking binge for 10 days"

There is also still no certificate of analysis from the National Forensics Labs at Backweston, outside of Celbridge

"A PICTURE paints a thousand words,” said Judge Geraldine Carthy as she imposed a suspended sentence on a woman who had pleaded guilty in Carlow District Court to assaulting another woman.

“You just couldn’t make it up!”

Drunk and abusive and caused a nuisance to swimmers

“That’s some awful stuff"

“He was completely degrading me"

He is accused of taking €3,000  worth of goods from a local Boots pharmacy

His solicitor Tim Kennelly told the court that Mr Connolly had been abusing cocaine at the time

“He was pissed off I didn’t come home when he wanted.”