Murder suspect's mum accused of withholding information
PSNIThe mother of a man charged with murdering Carrie Mullane has appeared in court charged with withholding information from police.
Carrie Mullane, 39, had been missing since she arrived in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, from Limerick on 10 October 2026.
A body was recovered by police from Lough Erne on Monday and the formal identification process is still ongoing. A sunken boat was also discovered in the water.
On Wednesday, 69-year-old Mary Lynch, of Trasna Park in Enniskillen, appeared at Dungannon Magistrates' Court.
Mary Lynch spoke to confirm her name and that she understood the charges of withholding information from police in relation to a murder investigation.
The court also heard that on Saturday her son, 35-year-old Michael Lynch of Trasna Park in Enniskillen, had appeared in court charged with Carrie Mullane's murder and preventing lawful burial.
On Wednesday the court heard that Mary Lynch was the mother of Michael Lynch and a police officer said they could connect her to the charge.
The officer outlined that on 8 November she was arrested and during a police interview she said she had been present when Michael Lynch assaulted Carrie Mullane.
Mary Lynch told police that her son Michael had hit the victim four or five times in the kitchen of the Transa Park property.
She added that she had tried to intervene and as a result had suffered injuries herself.
Mary Lynch also told police that she lifted Ms Mullane from the floor and tried to help her.
"I couldn't save the girl," she said in the interview.
Mary Lynch said after the assault she locked herself in her bedroom because she was terrified.
Police said she also confirmed that her son Michael Lynch had lifted the carpet from the living room which she described as "worrying" but did not know why he did that.
She also confirmed she had been aware of the missing person reports but did not think Carrie Mullane was dead.
A police officer told the court that she did not report the assault and did not inform police when they first visited her home as part of their investigation.
Police objected to an application for bail because they were concerned she would abscond to the Republic of Ireland where she has family connections.
A defence barrister said that that Mary Lynch had been the victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her son.
Her barrister also pointed out that when asked to do so, she had attended police interview willingly.
A suggested bail address in County Cork was put forward but the judge said he was unlikely to grant bail to an address in the Republic of Ireland.
Judge Francis Rafferty said he would remand her into custody for a week, to give her time to arrange an address in Northern Ireland for another bail application.
Another man aged in his 30s who was also arrested in connection with the investigation remains in police custody.