Inquest of Valerie French-Kilroy adjourned

INQUEST ADJOURNED The late Valerie French Kilroy.

Man set to stand trial in February of next year

Ger Flanagan

AN inquest into the death of a 41-year-old mother at her home in Westport last year was opened and adjourned by Coroner for Mayo Mr Patrick O’Connor yesterday (Monday).
The inquest of Valerie French-Kilroy, of Kilbree Lower, Westport, who worked as an occupational therapist, was adjourned after Detective Inspector Gary Walsh made an application to Mr O’Connor to adjourn finalisation, as criminal proceedings have begun.
Det Insp Walsh outlined to the court that the trial of a man charged with killing Ms French-Kilroy is due to go ahead in February 2021. Mr O’Connor accepted the request and adjourned the inquest until July 21, 2021.
The results of a post-mortem into Mrs French-Kilroy’s death, performed by State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan, were outlined in the brief hearing.
The court heard that Mrs French-Kilroy died from ligature strangulation in association with blunt force trauma to the head, and a stab wound to the neck. An incised wound into the hands was also a contributing factor.  
David French, a brother of the deceased woman, was in attendance yesterday (Monday) to give evidence of officially identifying Mrs French Kilroy.
He said he had given a short statement to gardaí in Ashford, Co Wicklow, in which he identified the body of his sister to Detective Garda William Grant on June 15, 2019, in the mortuary of Mayo University Hospital.