Jury deliberating in trial of woman accused of murdering former lover

A jury at the Central Criminal Court has begun deliberating in the trial of a woman charged with murdering her former lover in Ballyconnell, County Cavan. Nicola Brennan, aged 33, denies the charge of murdering Juris Viktorovs, a 36-year-old Latvian national, by stabbing him on 10 February 2022. The prosecution case relies on eyewitness testimony and forensic evidence, including blood found on the accused's clothing. The defence has challenged the reliability of the primary witness and questioned whether the evidence proves guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The jury of eight men and four women spent nearly two hours considering their verdict before adjourning. They are scheduled to return to court tomorrow. Justice Paul McDermott instructed the jury that the prosecution must prove its case to the standard of beyond reasonable doubt, and that murder requires proof of intent to kill or cause serious harm.