Man tried to catch wife cheating - but inadvertently filmed himself killing her
A man who set up a camera in a bid to catch his wife cheating inadvertently filmed himself murdering her.
Stephen Mooney, 52, was sentenced to life behind bars following at Ireland's Central Criminal Court, in Dublin, on Monday. Mooney murdered his 43-year-old wife Anna and at a hearing he apologised to his wife's family as well as their two children.
He pleaded guilty to her murder earlier this year after Gardaí (Irish police) hacked into his pone and discovered video footage of the build-up to the murder as well as an audio recording of the murder itself. Detective Sergeant Basil Grimes told prosecutor Desmond Dockery SC that Mooney alerted emergency services at about 1:09am on June 15, 2023.
He reported a person had been stabbed at his home in Kilbarrack Road, Kilbarrack, in Dublin, and when he was asked who did it, he replied: "I did." A fire brigade officer was first on the scene and found Mooney kneeling over his wife's lifeless body, speaking to emergency services. A knife still lodged in her chest.
Mooney told a paramedic: "I've killed her...She's my wife. This has been going on for years. I'm really sorry, she's been having an affair."
A Garda who arrived a short time later took a note of Mooney saying: "She's having an affair, it got out of control, I tried to save her, everyone's lives are ruined."
He added: "It's awful, I'm sorry to put you through this. I saw something on her phone about sex and everything else and freaked out." He later said: "There is no suspect. I am the guilty one. There's nothing worth this."
Detective Garda Jeanette O'Neill carried out a technical exam of the home found blood pooled on a couch as well as blood spatter on the wall just behind it. Ms Mooney was on her back in the kitchen floor when paramedics arrived.
Pathologist Dr Sallyanne Collins said the stab wound pierced the heart, diaphragm and abdominal cavity. The knife that had been lodged in her chest had a 16cm single-edged blade and a wooden handle, the Irish Mirror reporter.
Gardaí assessed his phone for the first time using updated software that allowed phones to be hacked, even when they are protected by a password or pincode. Analysis of the phone uncovered a 90-minute video clip that included footage of the murder.
Mooney could be seen leaving the room where the killing happened and returning with the murder weapon. The moment Anna was murdered happened off-camera, but audio did record "all events leading to her death."
Detective grimes said the video then went quiet before Mooney could be seen returning to the kitchen where he drank three glasses of water before running water over his hands while making the 999 call. The detective confirmed that Mooney has worked as an estate agent and has no previous convictions.
Mooney agreed with defence counsel Michael Bowman SC that Anna moved to Ireland from Ukraine in 2004 and that they married in 2005. The couple has two children together.
An investigation found Anna had a relationship with a man in Germany. Neither of the children were in court, but Anna's brother Anton Shuplikova listened to proceedings from Ukraine using a video-link and interpreter.
Following the detective's evidence, Mooney took the stand to apologise to his wife's family. "I am truly sorry for what happened that night," he said. "It is the burden I go to bed with every night and wake up with every day. I loved Anna. I want to say sorry to Anton and his extended family."
He finished by saying: "I wish to apologise to my kids for the terrible suffering I have caused everybody. I hope one day everybody will be able to forgive me."
Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a mandatory life sentence. He added he has no discretion in sentencing and that Mooney's future will be determined by a parole board.
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