Coroner returns ‘narrative verdict’ into death of Gorey man Philip Doyle

Coroner for Wexford, Dr.Sean Nixon, returned the narrative verdict at the inquest in Gorey Courthouse on Friday into the death which occurred at 112 The Heath, Ramsgate Village, Gorey, on January 26, 2020.

A narrative verdict is a factual statement of the circumstances surrounding someone's death without attributing the cause to an individual.

Dr. Nixon said when the matter came before the Central Criminal Court a not guilty verdict was returned by the jury relating to Sarah Doyle (32), the deceased wife, finding her not guilty of murdering her husband at their County Wexford home.

He also said that both sides of the family chose not to attend the inquest.

Inspector Laura Dragoi reading the deposition of Sarah Doyle told of her being punched and dragged down the stairs by Philip Doyle when trying to remove her from the house.

She also told in her deposition of her husband having been violent towards her and punched her in the face during the incident. She said she grabbed a knife in the kitchen, her husband kept coming towards her, when she obtained the knife and she used it towards her husband.

Det. Garda Martin Delaney told the inquest of having gone to the house where he observed a group of people standing outside. He saw a male lying on the ground in the front garden having received stab wounds to his chest. He spoke with his wife, Sarah Doyle, who said the stabbing took place in the kitchen.

Dr. Nixon said the deceased was at home with his father and children on the night. His wife had gone out with her mother-in-law and alcohol was consumed.

Sarah Doyle's mother-in-law Jackie Doyle had returned home before her with the deceased's wife returning home in the early hours of the morning of January 26, 2020.

She went upstairs and there was an altercation with her mother-in-law in the bedroom.

He said that Sarah Doyle's husband, Philip entered the room and physically removed her from the bedroom down the stairs to the kitchen. He received several wounds in the hallway just outside the kitchen, while having gone out the front door collapsed onto the ground where he passed away.

The couple, originally from Bray, Co. Wicklow, had married six months prior to the incident and had two toddler sons together, while Mr. Doyle also had a daughter.

During the trial Patrick Gageby, S.C., for Sarah Doyle, said there had been a 'history of abuse' in the relationship and said that Ms Doyle 'producing a knife was a last resort'.

Prosecuting Counsel, Paul Green, S.C. during the trial said the couple had an argument which started upstairs and moved downstairs, before Sarah obtained a knife and used it against her husband

At the conclusion of the trial the jury of seven women and five men returned its not guilty finding after over six hours of deliberations.