Charlotte Mulhall, one of the infamous 'Scissor Sisters,' could be released from Limerick Prison within weeks after meeting with parole officials to discuss her potential freedom. The 40-year-old, who has been serving a life sentence for the 2005 murder of her mother's boyfriend, Farah Swalwah Noor, has been granted unsupervised overnight temporary releases over the past year. The parole board is expected to inform her by the end of August whether she will be granted permanent release.
The Grotesque Crime
In March 2005, during a drug-and-alcohol-fueled spree, Charlotte and her sister Linda Mulhall killed 40-year-old Farah Swalwah Noor, who was in a relationship with their mother, Kathleen. Noor, a married father of two with a history of violence against women, reportedly made aggressive advances on Linda, triggering the attack. Charlotte stabbed Noor 27 times with a Stanley knife, while Linda struck him with a claw hammer. The sisters then dismembered his body on the bathroom floor, severing his head and penis, which were never recovered. They disposed of his limbs and torso in Dublin's Royal Canal, and his leg, still wearing a sock, was discovered ten days later.
Detective Garda Daniel Kenna described the crime as particularly gruesome, stating: 'I have worked on a lot of murders... but in this circumstance, the fact that the body was mutilated in the way it was after the killing and the fact that it was done by women made it particularly gruesome.' Judge Paul Carney called it 'the most grotesque killing that has ever occurred' in his professional tenure.
Sentences and Parole
Charlotte received a life sentence for murder, while Linda was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years. Their mother, Kathleen, received a five-year sentence for obstructing the investigation by hiding evidence. Linda was released in 2018 at age 43 and is believed to have relocated to the UK. Charlotte, now the longest-serving female prisoner in Ireland, has become a 'model prisoner' according to sources, engaging in education and fitness classes. However, she has faced controversies, including a 2008 incident where she was photographed holding a knife to a male prisoner's neck, an alleged inappropriate sexual relationship with a male staff member, and a 2014 incident where she burned a fellow prisoner's back with heated hair straighteners.
In 2024, Charlotte was permitted excursions from Limerick Prison, including a cinema trip to watch Alien: Romulus. A source told the Irish Sun on Sunday in 2023: 'She is no trouble at all and spends most of her time doing school and fitness classes. She just wants to get out and get on with her life.' Another source revealed in 2024 that she spends hours sewing and knitting, making teddy bears, adding: 'She is a lot more settled... but that could be down to the fact that she knows freedom is coming soon.'
Aftermath and Family
Following her release, Linda has had no contact with her mother Kathleen, who told the press: 'I only talk with Charlotte. She is my life.' Linda's daughter, Nikita Mulhall, defended her mother on Facebook, calling Noor 'a dirty rapist' and stating: 'You've done your time, Linda, well done – go live your life, you deserve it.' Linda was reportedly in love with a former prison officer but has since moved to the UK, where she is trying to reconnect with Charlotte.
