Man given life sentence for murder of Dublin woman

Emma Costello McCrory was found dead at her home in December 2022

A man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a mother-of-two in north Dublin.

George Turner, 56, from Fairview Avenue in the city, pleaded guilty to the murder, earlier this week.

Emma Costello McCrory, who was 45, was found dead at her home on Howth Road, Clontarf, on 15 December 2022, after a house fire.

A detective garda gave evidence that Turner had been in a relationship with Ms Costello McCrory for about three months prior to the murder.

He told the court she had asked Turner to go to the shops to buy alcohol and had asked him to take money out using her cash card.

He also went to a bookmaker's before returning to the house in Clontarf.

Turner told gardaí (Irish police) that he saw smoke coming from the building and had knocked on neighbours' doors for help.

However, prosecuting counsel said Turner had set the fire some time after his return to the house and only drew attention to it when smoke started billowing.

The garda detective agreed that although Turner had a phone, he did not use it to call emergency services.

The court heard George Turner had been in a relationship with Ms Costello McCrory for about three months prior to the murder

'Sleepy and vulnerable'

Ms Costello McCrory's body was found in an upstairs bedroom, Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported.

The court heard efforts to resuscitate her at the scene failed.

A post-mortem examination found she had died due to inhaling carbon monoxide and other noxious gases released in the fire.

Ms Costello McCrory had alcohol and prescription drugs in her blood, which the court heard would have made her sleepy and vulnerable when the fire started.

Fire services found no evidence of an accelerant and found the fire had started towards the bottom of the victim's bed.

Turner made a statement in January 2023 and speculated that the cause of the fire might have been a cigarette.

However, two months later, he told an acquaintance that he had "burnt Emma" and set a blanket on fire "to take her out of her pain".

Turner later told gardai he could not live with himself and that he had started the fire.

He said he had set Ms Costello McCrory's bedclothes alight and left when they began to smoulder.

Tribute to 'wonderful woman'

Turner claimed the victim had no quality of life and that she did not want to live.

He later told gardaí he had not intended to kill her.

The court heard he continued to use Ms Costello McCrory's cash card for up to 10 days after the fire for his own personal expenditure.

The court was also told Turner had difficulties with his own mental health.

RTE reported that Turner has 42 convictions, mostly for public order and road traffic offences.

In 2016, he was jailed for four years for possessing firearms and ammunition in suspicious circumstances and was also convicted of possessing drugs for sale or supply.

Ms Costello McCrory's mother, Pauline Costello, told the court she was heartbroken.

She said her only daughter was a "wonderful woman" and "a very caring individual".

Ms Costello said her daughter had been diagnosed with cancer when she was studying for a degree in England aged 19.

She said she recovered and finished her degree and got on with life.

Ms Costello said her daughter was "very vulnerable" when she met Turner.

A defence lawyer said Turner wanted to express his remorse and regret for his actions.

He highlighted his client's unprompted admissions and confessions in March 2023, followed by his guilty plea.

Ms Justice Eileen Creedon extended her sympathies to Ms Costello McCrory's family and said she had died in "needless and tragic circumstances".