In October of 2012, 30 year old Aoife Phelan went missing without a trace. Aoife had simply left a friends house and vanished with no sign of what might become of her. A garda investigation began to find the woman who had told hr family she was 4 months pregnant.

It would be a long two weeks before police discovered what had become of her.

Join me at CrimeCon UK on June 12-13th 2021. For more information and tickets visit crimecon.co.uk. Use the code MENSREA for 10% off. Purchase a ticket with the code and get in touch to get a free Mens Rea T-Shirt (limited to first 10 listeners who contact me)

Please check out the Shattered Window podcast

With thanks to our sponsors for this episode:

Try the hidden-object mystery game JunesJourney today! Download for free by clicking here  or find it on the Apple App Store or Google Play!

Get yourself natural, refillable deodorant that genuinely works at wearewild.com and use the code MENS to get 20% off your first order!

Sign up for professional online counselling at betterhelp.com/mens and get 10% off your first month!

Find us on Facebook or Twitter!

With thanks to our supporters on Patreon! Donate today to get access to bonus and ad-free episodes!

Check out the Mens Rea Merch Store!

Theme Music:

Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Additional Music:   Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sources:

Jim Cusack, “Family fear for missing pregnant woman, 31” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/family-fear-for-missing-pregnant-woman-31-28824520.html (28 October 2012)

Breda Heffernan, Cormac McQuinn and Eoghan McConnell, “Gardai fear for safety of missing pregnant woman” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/gardai-fear-for-safety-of-missing-pregnant-woman-28824802.html (29 October 2012)

Eoghan MacConnell, “Trawl of missing woman’s phone and bank records” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/trawl-of-missing-womans-phone-and-bank-records-28825028.html (30 October 2012)

Eoghan MacConnell and Conor Lally, “Garda ‘extremely concerned’ for woman” in The Irish Times (31 October 2012) p. 3.

Kevin Foy, “Gardai: ‘Highly unlikely’ missing Aoife was victim of foul play” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/gardai-highly-unlikely-missing-aoife-was-victim-of-foul-play-28825623.html (31 October 2012)

Eoghan MacConnell and Conor Lally, “Gardai search lake in Laois for missing pregnant woman (30)” in The Irish Times (1 November 2012) p. 7.

Cormac McQuinn, “Lake trawled in search for missing nanny, Aoife Phelan” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/lake-trawled-in-search-for-missing-nanny-aoife-phelan-28826017.html (1 November 2012)

Eoghan MacConnell, “Family pleads for safe return of missing Aoife at candlelight vigil” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/family-pleads-for-safe-return-of-missing-aoife-at-candlelight-vigil-28826396.html (2 November 2012)

Eoghan MacConnell, “Mother makes emotional plea for return of missing daughter” in The Irish Times (2 November 2012) p. 2.

Eoghan MacConnell, “Gardai: No activity on missing Aoife’s phone or bank accounts” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/gardai-no-activity-on-missing-aoifes-phone-or-bank-accounts-28826701.html (2 November 2012)

“Man arrested over missing nanny” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/man-arrested-over-missing-nanny-28893440.html (5 November 2012)

Fiona Gartland, “Garda search for missing woman Aoife Phelan focused on river” in The Irish Times (7 November 2012) p. 7.

“Nanny’s family hailed as body found” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/nannys-family-hailed-as-body-found-28893651.html (7 November 2012)

Louise Hogan, “Neighbours shocked a family seeks privacy” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/neighbours-shocked-as-family-seeks-privacy-28893504.html (7 November 2012)

Sarah Stack, “Gardai arrest man in his 20s after Aoife’s body is found” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/gardai-arrest-man-in-his-20s-after-aoifes-body-is-found-28893650.html (7 November 2012)

Tom Brady and Louise Hogan, “Gardai found missing in nanny’s body after wild-goose chase” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/gardai-found-missing-nannys-body-after-wild-goose-chase-28893999.html (8 November 2012)

Eoghan MacConnell, “Man rearrested after body found by gardai searching for missing woman” in The Irish Times (8 November 2012) p. 8

“Tributes paid to murdered nanny” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/tributes-paid-to-murdered-nanny-28894104.html (8 November 2012)

Ed Carty and Tom Brady, “Pregnant Aoife was beaten to death and buried in a barrel” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/pregnant-aoife-was-beaten-to-death-and-buried-in-a-barrel-28894281.html (8 November 2012)

Sarah Stack and Ed Carty, “Tributes paid to murdered nanny and her unborn child” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/tributes-paid-to-murdered-nanny-and-her-unborn-child-28894097.html (8 November 2012)

Joanne Hunt, “Community rallies around Phelan family” in The Irish Times (9 November 2012) p. 8.

Nicola Anderson, “Aoife’s family tell of pain as trucker charged with murder” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/aoifes-family-tell-of-pain-as-trucker-charged-with-murder-28894440.html (9 November 2012)

“Murdered nanny’s body returns home” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/murdered-nannys-body-returns-home-28895186.html (9 November 2012)

Nicola Anderson, “Aoife murder accused gets psychiatric care in custody” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/aoife-murder-accused-gets-psychiatric-care-in-custody-28894761.html (10 November 2012)

Nicola Anderson, “Tragic Aoife wasn’t pregnant, but we’ll never know what she was going through” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/tragic-aoife-wasnt-pregnant-but-well-never-know-what-she-was-going-through-28894782.html (10 November 2012)

Phillip Ryan, “family bid sad farewell to ‘radiant, joyful’ Aoife” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/family-bid-sad-farewell-to-radiant-joyful-aoife-28895035.html (11 November 2012)

Fiona Gartland, “Hundred attend funeral to mourn ‘senseless loss’ of Aoife Phelan” in The Irish Times (12 November 2012) p. 8.

Eoghan MacConnell, “Aoife Phelan’s family ‘overwhelmed’ by huge turnout at funeral” in The Irish Independenthttps://www.independent.ie/irish-news/aoife-phelans-family-overwhelmed-by-huge-turnout-at-funeral-28895314.html (12 November 2012)

“Trucker accused of Aoife Phelan murder gets free legal aid because is business in shutting down” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/trucker-accused-of-aoife-phelan-murder-gets-free-legal-aid-because-his-business-is-shutting-down-28901842.html (15 November 2012)

Tom Tuite, “Aoife Phelan murder accused remanded in custody” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/aoife-phelan-murder-accused-remanded-in-custody-28947219.html (13 December 2012)

Tom Tuite, “Lorry driver to go on trial for murder of Aoife Phelan” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/lorry-driver-to-go-on-trial-for-murder-of-aoife-phelan-29159184.html (27 March 2013)

Anne Sharkey, “Man faces trial for murder of Aoife Phelan (30)” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/man-faces-trial-for-murder-of-aoife-phelan-30-30266636.html (12 May 2014)

“Man (25) goes on trial for murder of nanny Aoife Phelan” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/man-25-goes-on-trial-for-murder-of-nanny-aoife-phelan-30270242.html (13 May 2014)

“Murder accused ‘repeatedly struck victim and dumped body’ court hears” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/murder-accused-repeatedly-struck-victim-and-dumped-body-court-hears-30271048.html (13 May 2014)

Anne Sharkey, “Nanny had told parents she was pregnant shortly before her death” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/nanny-had-told-parents-she-was-pregnant-shortly-before-her-death-30272252.html (13 May 2014)

Anne Sharkey, “Discovery of Aoife’s body buried in a barrel ‘saddest and most gruesome’ court hears” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/discovery-of-aoifes-body-buried-in-a-barrel-saddest-and-most-gruesome-court-hears-30274943.html (14 May 2014)

Natasha Reid, “Tragic Aoife ‘exchanged 260 messages’ with accused on one day before death” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/tragic-aoife-exchanged-260-messages-with-accused-on-one-day-before-death-30277446.html (15 May 2014)

“Aoife Phelan murder accused: ‘The only thing going through my head was: I need to get rid of her’” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/aoife-phelan-murder-accused-the-only-thing-going-through-my-head-was-i-need-to-get-rid-of-her-30277803.html (15 May 2014)

Natasha Reid, “Aoife Phelan death: Accused Robert Corbet took gardai on ‘a wild goose chase’” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/aoife-phelan-death-accused-robert-corbet-took-gardai-on-a-wild-goose-chase-30280095.html (16 May 2014)

Natasha Reid, “CCTV footage of truck dumping gravel where Aoife’s body found” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/cctv-footage-of-truck-dumping-gravel-where-aoifes-body-found-30280717.html (16 May 2014)

“Accused told gardai he ‘just snapped’” in The Irish Times (16 May 2014) p. 6.

“Accused’s prints found on plastic bag around the head of nanny Aoife Phelan, court told” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/accuseds-prints-found-on-plastic-bag-around-head-of-nanny-aoife-phelan-court-told-30285644.html (19 May 2014)

Natasha Reid, “Murder accused killed Laois nanny because pregnancy ‘scuppered’ former relationship” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/murder-accused-killed-laois-nanny-because-pregnancy-scuppered-former-relationship-30286171.html (19 May 2014)

Natasha Reid, “Aoife Phelan was not pregnant at the time of death and never was, says pathologist” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/aoife-phelan-was-not-pregnant-at-time-of-death-and-never-was-says-pathologist-30287349.html (20 May 2014)

Natasha Reid, “’It felt like an out-of-body experience – it was a loss of self control. I just couldn’t stop’ – murder accused” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/it-felt-like-an-out-of-body-experience-it-was-a-loss-of-self-control-i-just-couldnt-stop-murder-accused-30293244.html (21 May 2014)

Natasha Reid, “Murder accused said he described Aoife Phelan as ‘complication’ to get garda interview finished” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/murder-accused-said-he-described-aoife-phelan-as-a-complication-to-get-garda-interview-finished-30293659.html (21 May 2014)

Natasha reid, “Laois woman not pregnant when killed, court told” in The Irish Times (21 May 2014) p. 6.

Natasha Reid, “Prosecution in Aoife Phelan murder case tells jury: Corbet’s actions were ‘deliberate and calculated’” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/prosecution-in-aoife-phelan-murder-case-tells-jury-corbets-actions-were-deliberate-and-calculated-30296141.html (22 May 2014)

“Jury resumes deliberation in the trial of Laois man charged with murdering nanny Aoife Phelan” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/jury-resumes-deliberation-in-trial-of-laois-man-charged-with-murdering-nanny-aoife-phelan-30298700.html (23 May 2014)

Natasha Reid, “’We didn’t recognise her…her face was black and blue’ – Aoife Phelan’s family” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/we-didnt-recognise-her-her-face-was-black-and-blue-aoife-phelans-family-30299297.html (23 May 2014)

Ruadhan Mac Cormaic, “Corbet’s provocation plea failed to convince jury” in The Irish Times (24 May 2014) p. 6.