# Teenager Admits Fatal Assault in Scarlett Faulkner Murder Trial A teenager and a 41-year-old woman face trial for the murder of Scarlett Faulkner. - **Source:** [TheJournal.ie](https://www.thejournal.ie) - **Published:** 2026-11-11 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/b39749ed-b202-47dd-9b52-7f54162d2a0e ## Fatal Assault in Tipperary Scarlett Faulkner died three weeks after a severe assault occurring on March 21. The Central Criminal Court is currently hearing the murder trial of a 17-year-old girl and a 41-year-old woman. Prosecutors allege the attack was motivated by a relationship between Faulkner and the older defendant's estranged husband. ## Prosecution's Hunt Allegation The prosecution claims the defendants tracked Faulkner and her new partner for 24 hours. The older accused allegedly chased the husband’s van, forcing it off the road at the Birdhill roundabout. Following the crash, the teenage defendant reportedly attacked Faulkner with an iron bar by the roadside. ## Teenager's Graphic Audio Confession The jury heard audio recordings where the teenager described the assault in graphic detail. She claimed to have battered Faulkner with a bar, stating, 'Her brains were open.' The teenager has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, while the older defendant denies all involvement. ## Digital Evidence and Selfies Sergeant Jennifer Skelly presented mobile phone data, including messages sent by the teenager shortly after the assault. One message read, 'I’m bored off my brains.' Later that evening, the teenager was identified in a selfie taken while she was on a sunbed, hours after the fatal incident. ## Older Defendant's Denial The 41-year-old defendant maintains her innocence, swearing on the 'blessed lady' that she never touched Faulkner. In a recorded call to her cousin, she insisted she would 'kill no woman over a man.' She claimed her husband was the aggressor, attempting to attack her with a hatchet. ## Communication Patterns Analyzed Forensic analysis of the older defendant’s phone revealed 267 calls made or received on the day of the murder. Defense counsel highlighted messages from December 2025 showing the accused’s awareness of her husband’s infidelity. Shortly after the assault, she sent panicked voice notes requesting immediate assistance from her mother. ## Legal Proceedings and Context The trial is presided over by Mr. Justice Kerida Naidoo with a jury of eight men and four women. The prosecution’s case relies heavily on digital evidence, including voice notes and location data, to establish a joint enterprise between the two defendants to cause serious injury or death. ## Determining Criminal Responsibility The court must now weigh the teenager's admission to manslaughter against the charge of murder. Simultaneously, the jury will evaluate the older defendant's claims of innocence against the prosecution's theory of a coordinated pursuit. The verdict will hinge on whether the defendants acted in a joint criminal enterprise. ## Sources covering this story - [TheJournal.ie — Teenager on Trial for Scarlett Faulkner Murder Admits to Fatal Assault](https://www.thejournal.ie/scarlett-faulkner-fatal-assault-court-case-7222831-Nov2026/) - [Irish Examiner — Scarlett Faulkner Murder Trial: Accused Denies Involvement in Fatal Attack](https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/courtandcrime/arid-41936985.html) --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._