Concepta Leonard inquest: Murder scene was 'worst sight' for policeman

Concepta Leonard was murdered by her ex-partner in 2017

A police constable who was called to a house in County Fermanagh where a woman was murdered has said what he found was "the worst sight I had ever seen".

Concepta Leonard, 51, was stabbed to death by her ex-partner Paedar Phair near Maguiresbridge in May 2017. He then took his own life.

The police officer was speaking during an inquest into Ms Leonard's death.

He said he went to the house following a 999 call from a muffled female voice which was hard to make out.

On arrival he and another officer were met outside by Ms Leonard's son Conor Gallagher, who has Down's syndrome.

The constable told the inquest on Thursday that Mr Gallagher had blood on his T-shirt and had been stabbed in the stomach.

He said he got the first aid kit from the police vehicle and his colleague applied a dressing to the wound.

He said that at all he could understand were the words "Mammy" and "bedroom".

He then realised Conor was also saying the words "Paedar Phair over and over again" and that he was making a cutting motion with his finger across his throat.

'I was in no doubt she was dead'

After making his way to the upstairs bedroom he discovered Ms Leonard's body on the floor.

"Given the quantity of blood and the appearance of the body I was in no doubt she was dead," he told the inquest.

A second police crew arrived a short time later and discovered Phair inside the detached garage at the property.

An officer from that patrol started performing CPR and was then assisted by other officers and paramedics.

The attack happened at the house that Concepta Leonard shared with her son Conor

The inquest heard they continued to work on Phair until he got to the hospital - more than an hour later - when a decision was made to stop.

A barrister representing Ms Leonard's family asked the officer if he or his colleague had been aware of Ms Leonard making complaints or of the existence of a non-molestation order.

He said they had not.

'Strange and out of place'

The inquest also heard from some of Ms Leonard's neighbours.

One said that she had known Ms Leonard for about 10 years, adding that she used to be "very outgoing and sociable".

But she said that after Phair had moved into the house she had stopped socialising with them.

The neighbour said she felt that he would not allow Ms Leonard to go to parties.

She told the inquest that on the day of the murder she had noticed a man walking along the road towards Maguiresbridge, which she said was "strange and out of place".

She did not recognise who it was but later that day, after the police had closed off the road, she realised the man she had seen was Phair.

Another neighbour, who lived about a mile away, also saw a man walking, wearing a blue suit and who "had a few drinks on him" and a rucksack on his back.

Again it was only later that he thought it must have been Phair.

The inquest continues.