A 45-year-old man has been found guilty of the murder of Nicola Collins in Cork City last year.

The 38-year-old mother-of-three was found with serious head injuries at 6A Pophams Road in Farranree on March 27th.

Cathal O’Sullivan, of the same address, had pleaded not guilty to her murder.

The jury deliberated for almost four hours and returned with a guilty verdict just after 4pm this afternoon.

Ms Collins’ family this evening expressed their relief at the conviction and life sentence.

Speaking to Cork’s 96FM outside court, her father Michael Collins said the trial had been extremely difficult.

“It has been a second ordeal to us,” he said.

“It was excruciating to listen to the medical evidence; the vilification of Nicola’s character.

"She was besmirched by this man and he did nothing at all to help her – even when she was in very bad pain, he did nothing to help her.”

O’Sullivan, who is originally from Charleville, was handed the mandatory life sentence.