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Daily Record
Daily Record
World
John Hand & Sarah Vesty

Murder accused 'dialled 999' after mum 'knifed to death during savage attack'

A man who allegedly stabbed a woman to death before calling 999 is being questioned by police. The victim, named locally as Anna Mooney, was found at her home in Raheny, north Dublin, shortly before 1am on Thursday.

Officers are now questioning a man in his 50s on suspicion of murder after he was arrested at the property, DublinLive reports. It has been claimed that the suspect called for an ambulance after the ‘savage attack’ with the gardai also alerted.

Two children, a young boy and a teenage girl, were in the house at the time but neither were injured. A source said: "This was an absolutely savage attack and the victim suffered a horrendous death.

"It's a very distressing case. Not only is the nature of the attack shocking but there were two children in the house at the time. Gardai arrested the suspect at the scene.

"The investigation is in full flow and everything is being followed up on but gardai are not looking for anyone else at this stage."

Anna had a number of stab wounds, including to her chest, and was declared dead at the scene. Detectives probing the suspected murder believe there was a row in the home which escalated into the victim being attacked.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder (PA)

The suspect is being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 and can be questioned for 24 hours before investigators must charge or release him. The victim is understood to be originally from Ukraine but had married in Ireland where she has been living for up to 20 years.

One neighbour said he didn't know Mrs Mooney personally but often talked to her as she passed by, adding that she said she had taken a holiday back to Ukraine in recent months to visit her mother.

A close friend of Mrs Mooney arrived at the scene yesterday and was comforted by neighbours of the victim as she wept at the news.

A forensics team was in the house yesterday morning before the body was taken away for a postmortem. Residents told of their devastation at hearing the news.

One man said: "It's totally shocking, particularly in this part of the area. "It's an awful shame, especially for the kids who were in the house."

Another woman told the Irish Mirror: "I genuinely cannot get the kids out of my head. It's just so sad. I didn't know them but my heart breaks for the family. Nobody should die like that."

Fianna Fail councillor Daryl Barron described the killing as "shocking" and "disturbing". He told the Irish Mirror: "It's been very quiet over the past number of years in the area. There have been no major incidents, the Kilbarrack area is actually a very settled community in recent years.

"So it's very shocking, obviously the two children in the house. I think of them, I think of the family and I think of the poor woman who has tragically lost her life."

A senior investigating officer was appointed to the case as was a liaison officer to keep in contact with Anna's devastated family. A Garda spokesman said: "Inquiries are ongoing."

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