Trial told Scarlett Faulkner was “hunted” with metal pole before death

The 28 year-old was struck with "brutal and ferocious force" with a metal pole prosecuting counsel Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing said.

Scarlett's sister Victoria Faulkner told the court that Scarlett had been released from a short prison sentence on March 15th this year.

Five days later, she became concerned because she hadn't seen or heard from her sister since.

She said it was unusual for her sister not to text or call regularly so she put up a missing person notice on Facebook. She was aware her sister was struggling with drug addiction at the time.

The older woman accused Scarlett of living with her husband and called her a series of hurtful names and made numerous threats.

Ms Faulkner's sister then received a text from the older woman saying: "Your smell bag of a sister will pay for what she done when I get her I’ll draw a map of Ireland on her face."

It's alleged that in that time, the two accused women had acted together to harm Ms Faulkner after discovering she had begun a relationship with an ex-partner of the older woman.

Victoria Faulkner said the woman later rang her and suggested she check if "your whore of a sister is dead or alive" in the hospital.

The prosecution claims Ms Faulkner had been rammed off the road at Birdhill, Co. Tipperary before she was struck 10 to 11 times with a metal pole by the 17-year-old.

The court will see dashcam and other footage of Ms Faulkner being hit with the metal bar by the younger woman before the older woman brings her back to their vehicle.

The 17-year-old cannot be identified because she is underage, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The 41-year-old pleaded not guilty to murder.

She also pleaded not guilty to burglary, entering a building as a trespasser and causing criminal damage at an address in Co Tipperary on March 20th.

She pleaded not guilty to a third charge of burglary and committing assault causing harm at an address in Limerick on March 21st.

The jury was shown photographs taken during the garda investigation including damaged vehicles, metal bars and a bat, along with items seized during searches of the 41-year-old woman's home including wedding photographs, a birthday card and a credit union book which had all been torn up.

The trial before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo is expected to last approximately four weeks, until around November 30th.