Four men have been given the maximum sentence of 10 years for disposing of and attempting to destroy the body of a mother-of-two in Co Wexford last year.
Three of the men had part of their sentences suspended provided they return to their native Lithuania and Poland when released from jail. The fourth man, who is Irish, also had part of his sentence suspended at the Central Criminal Court.
Rebecca French (30) was found dead in the boot of her burning car on October 9th, 2009 on the outskirts of Wexford town. The State believes she was beaten to death beforehand in the house of one of the defendants at Ard Na Dara, Clonard.
Mr Justice Barry White said one or more of the four men were responsible for "brutally and savagely" killing her but enjoyed a presumption of innocence for this.
All four had pleaded guilty to impeding the investigation and he said the maximum sentence he could impose was not long enough.
The Lithuanian defendants, Ricardas Dilys (28) and Ruslanas Mineikas (26) of Goodtide Harbour and formerly of Davitt Road South, both in Wexford town, pleaded guilty to her murder last month.
The murder charges were dropped when a legal technicality meant their admissions in Garda custody could not be used against them and they pleaded guilty to the lesser crime.
Gardaí then said they would not be looking for anyone else in connection with what they believed was a murder.
The other men, Patrick O'Connor (41) of Ard Na Dara, Clonard, Wexford and
Piotr Pasiak (27), a Polish national with an address at Lower John Street in Wexford, had already pleaded guilty to impeding the investigation.
It emerged today that two of the men had offered pleas to manslaughter during their Garda interviews, but these were not accepted by the DPP. This was his right, said the judge, and these please were not proffered during arraignment.
"Our law does not permit for the finding of guilt by accusation," he said. "The State had not been in a position to adduce evidence as to what in fact happened to Rebecca French," he said, explaining that this was why nobody had been or could be made responsible for her death.
"In my view, 10 years is inadequate as a maximum punishment for this type of offence, but I am bound by the law," he said.
"It seems to me there is little if any room for distinguishing between the four of you," he continued. "You showed no respect for Rebecca French after she died. You disposed of her body in a manner not befitting an animal."
He noted that Mineikas had said he was sick with guilt during a Garda interview but said little or no remorse had been shown by the four, apart from apologies in court, which rang hollow.
He imposed the maximum sentence and suspended the final two years in the case of Minekas, Dylis and O'Connor and the final two and a half years in the case of Pasiak, who had no previous convictions.
He said the conditions were that the three foreign men volunteer to return to their own counties on completion of their sentences and not return to this jurisdiction.
"I cannot deport them," he explained.
All men then agreed to the conditions and signed €100 bonds.
Mr Justice White passed sentence only after hearing that the DPP was happy
for him to do so. He had adjourned sentencing due to comments in a highly
critical victim impact statement read in court last month.
The French family did not wish to comment afterwards but a spokesman said
they were happy with the sentences.