Man stabs ex-boss 19 times, blames him for Michaela Hart murder

A 35-year-old man stabbed his former employer 19 times “without warning” because the accused was having “psychotic delusions” and believed his boss was responsible for the murder of Michaela McAreavey, his trial at Ireland’s Central Criminal Court has heard.

The court heard the accused, Neil O’Dowd, was increasingly paranoid in the weeks leading up to the incident and believed COVID-19 was a conspiracy. He also thought his boss was responsible for the unsolved murder of Michaela (Harts) McAreavey in Mauritius and had brought a Mauritian chef who worked in the pub over to Ireland to cover up the crime.

Michaela Harte, 27, was strangled in her room at the ex-Legends Hotel in Mauritius on January 10, 2011.

The Co Tyrone teacher, who had married husband John 10 days earlier, was attacked after she returned to her room alone and apparently disturbed a burglary.

Ex-hotel worker Sandip Moneea was found guilty of the teacher’s murder in 2012 but his conviction was quashed.

Mr O’Dowd, of Tuscany Park, Baldoyle, is charged with the attempted murder of Paul Smith at The Elphin Pub on the Baldoyle Road in Sutton on January 28th, 2021. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

The jury heard Mr Smith, the manager of the pub, was stabbed repeatedly with three different knives, had glasses smashed over his head and was beaten with a mop handle.

The court heard a total of 19 stab wounds were inflicted on Mr Smith and following the incident he suffered a pseudoaneurysm in the artery of his heart which required surgery and a stent.

Mr O’Dowd is also charged with assault causing harm and the production of knives during a dispute inside and outside the Elphin Pub on the same date.

The Court heard that it wasn’t unusual for the accused to call in while the ex-boss was out walking but he began asking questions like why he (Mr Smith) went to Mauritius on honeymoon. The latter had not been to Mauritius on his honeymoon.

Mr Smith told gardaí that when he asked Mr O’Dowd what he was doing, the accused shouted: “You killed that girl in Mauritius” before swinging the knife and stabbing him repeatedly.

Source: breakingnews.ie