Irene White’s husband says he’ll defend innocence if he’s charged over her brutal murder

EXCLUSIVE: “There’s unanswered questions. It just doesn’t seem to make sense, you know what I mean – any of it.”

i

The husband of murdered woman Irene White has said he is “shocked” that gardai want to charge him over her death.

We can reveal that gardai are awaiting a decision from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) after recommending that Ms White’s husband Alan be charged in connection with her murder in her home in Dundalk on April 6, 2005.

But speaking exclusively to this paper from his home, Alan White – who has previously been arrested over his wife’s death – told us he was “shocked” that gardai have recently recommended to the DPP that he be charged – and strongly denied that he was in any way linked to her brutal murder.

“Well it’s quite a shock. Everything has been so quiet for a while. This is so out of the blue,” Mr White said. “I wasn’t even aware of it to tell you the truth. This is the first I’ve heard.”

Speaking about his previous arrest Mr White insisted that “nothing” came out of his interview with gardai – and maintained that he had no involvement in his wife’s death.

In response to being asked about his previous arrest he said: “Yeah, well I don’t know how to term it, I think the term is helping with enquiries or something like that, or whatever way they phrase it.

“Yeah I was interviewed before ok but nothing came of that and I haven’t heard anything yet since.”

Told again that it is understood gardai have now sent a file to the DPP recommending he be charged, Mr White expressed shock.

“Oh. No, well I’m actually surprised to hear anything about it. I haven’t heard anything from anybody.”

Two men – Anthony Lambe and Niall Power – are serving life for Irene’s murder,but a so-called “mastermind” was suspected of ordering the pair to have the young mother killed.

Lambe brutally stabbed Irene 34 times and was paid €2,000 by Power, who eventually turned himself in and claimed he was operating on the orders of a “mastermind.”

Asked by this paper today if he was the mastermind Mr White laughed and said: “No. I don’t think I’m the mastermind of anything.” Asked about the fact that members of the public might suspect he had something to do with his wife’s death Mr White added: “Oh they are, yeah but I don’t know, people make their own minds up.

“I don’t think there is any convincing people. I’m looking at other stories about the BBC and RTE and what’s going on on the internet and what comments have been posted.

“Some of it is outrageous what people are saying. People seem to get half a story and jump at it,” he said.

Asked if he was maintaining his innocence Mr White said: “That goes without saying.” But he again pointed out that gardai at least suspect he had something to do with his wife’s murder – given the file to the DPP.

“Yeah, well that’s what I’m saying, that’s the first I’ve heard of it. I’m very surprised, you know.”

Asked about the possibility that the DPP come back recommending he be charged and whether he would argue his innocence in court, Mr White said: “Oh sure yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They’re not telling the truth, you know what I mean?

“That’s why I’m saying I’m surprised. I don’t know how long this is going on.”

Asked about whether he finds it difficult that people may suspect he had involvement he said: “Well I have loads of support from friends and family. I have that so, like I didn’t come across any direct comments or that from the public. I wouldn’t know a lot of the public.”