A man has appeared in court charged with murdering his fiancé.
Andrei Marian Dobra (33) appeared before a sitting of Trim District Court this morning - charged with murdering his fiancé Ioana Mihaela (30) at their apartment in Riverwalk Court, Ratoath, Co Meath on Saturday evening.
Detective Garda Michelle O’Brien of Ashbourne Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution before Judge Miriam Walsh this morning.
Read More: Friend of woman found dead in Ratoath speaks of chilling phonecall with suspect
Det Garda O’Brien said she arrested Mr Dobra at 11:48pm on Sunday and he was subsequently charged at 11:51pm.
She said the accused replied: “I’m so sorry for that, it should not have happened,” when charged.
A solicitor for Mr Dobra said he was looking for a translator.
He said his client had been living in Ireland for the past seven years and his level of English was quite good - but due to the charges he was facing, it would be better if he had a translator.
The solicitor added that Mr Dobra had “certain injuries which indicate he “may have attempted to take his own life.”
He asked Judge Miriam Walsh for a psychiatric evaluation to take place at Cloverhill Prison, where the accused is to go on remand.
Judge Walsh remanded the accused into custody, and he’s due to appear before the court again on Thursday.
Ioana Mihaela (30), who is originally from Romania, was discovered dead in her bed in an apartment in Riverwalk Court, Ratoath, Co Meath on Saturday evening.
Speaking to this paper yesterday Ioana’s grieving sister Tocoian Estera said what she and her family are going through is hell.
“You must realise it's very hard right now,” she said.
“We still don’t know exactly what happened.”
But she said she wanted to pay tribute to her sister, passing on a photo of her to this paper and describing her as a person who was full of life.
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