A man who sexually assaulted and strangled an elderly nun in the grounds of a convent in Co Monaghan when he was 19-years-old, was yesterday jailed for life for the murder.
Kealen Herron, now 21, of Derry, Latton, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan yesterday pleaded guilty to the murder of Sister Philomena Lyons (68) in the grounds of the Sacred Heart Convent, Ballybay, Co Monaghan, on December 15th, 2001. In the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Carney sentenced Herron to life imprisonment after hearing the background to the killing.
The court heard that Sister Philomena was born Christina Lyons in Rahan, Mallow, Co Cork in 1932. In 1950, she entered the order of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Having trained as a primary school teacher in Carysfort Training College, Blackrock, Dublin, she spent six years teaching in Bellmawr, New Jersey, in the United States. She returned to Ireland and taught for 35 years in St Brigid's National School in Ballybay.
Supt Tom Long told Mr Eamonn Leahy SC, for the DPP, that at the time of her death, she was retired but still involved in the local nursing home. On December 15th, 2001, she planned to set out for Dublin, where she had arranged to spend her Christmas vacation. Her intention was to get a local bus to Dublin.
After breakfast, and "in jovial mood", Sister Philomena departed at 8.10 a.m., accompanied to the gates by the head nun, Sister Aloysius, Supt Long said. She had two small suitcases and a plastic bag, but she forgot her mobile phone charger, so she returned to the convent to get it, leaving Sister Aloysius to mind her luggage. When she got back, she insisted her colleague leave her, because the morning was so cold.
A short time later, she met an employee of the convent, who greeted her and was the last person, other than her attacker, to see her alive. It was around 8.20 a.m., the court heard.
Sister Aloysius looked out towards the convent gate and did not see Sister Philomena, but she noted that her baggage was gone so she presumed she had gone to the bus. She also noticed someone who appeared to be acting "slightly suspicious", Supt Long agreed with counsel.
He agreed that Sister Philomena did not board the bus that passed the convent at around 8.30 or 8.35 a.m. Her colleagues became concerned for her safety when it was learned that her baggage was left unattended on the roadside. When she did not arrive in Blackrock later that day, the Garda was alerted after 4 p.m. and a search began.
Sister Philomena's body was found at 5.05 p.m. by gardaí aided by the lights of a Garda patrol car. The body was discovered close to a hedge of a field in the convent grounds. The court heard that the deputy State pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, concluded that the woman had been strangled with her own scarf, which was still tied tightly around her neck. Bruises around her jaw and neck suggested that her assailant had his hands over her mouth as he attacked her.
Dr Cassidy concluded that the nun had been unconscious when she was subsequently attacked, Supt Long agreed. Her clothing was disturbed, and in particular, her tights and underwear were pulled down. There was evidence of a sexual assault. The attack happened in and around where the body was found.
The court heard that gardaí quickly seized all security film footage in the locality and as a result of that and of questionnaires, became aware that a local youth, Kealen Herron, had twice gone into a shop in the vicinity. Subsequently, at a Garda checkpoint, Herron answered questions and later volunteered to give a fingerprint sample. He was not a suspect at that stage. However, on checking the questionnaire he completed, a number of discrepancies arose, and simultaneously, a fingermark was developed on the nun's spectacles that was similar to his.
Det Insp Hugh Coll arrested Herron on the morning of December 19th, 2001, and questioned under caution, the youth made a series of statements and admitted the murder. In the Garda patrol car following his arrest, he first denied the sexual assault. Then, in his first statements to gardaí, he said that he had sexually assaulted her after he strangled her. However, in later statements, he indicated that he assaulted her first and then strangled her because he was afraid she would betray his identity.
Counsel for the DPP later entered a nolle prosequi on the charge of sexual assault.
The superintendent told the court that on the morning of his arrest, items of clothing were seized from Herron's home. A DNA match was later made from staining on the leg of his jeans and a sample of staining found on Sister Philomena's clothing.
Mr Patrick Gageby SC, for Kealen Herron, said his client wished to express his "profound sorrow, regret and remorse for his actions". He expressed "deep sympathy" to the nun's family, friends and religious colleagues.
Herron, who lived with his parents six miles from Ballybay, has no previous convictions. He had various jobs in a meat plant, a plant hire company and on a construction site.
He was a pupil of the primary school in Latton, where he had some learning difficulties and attended a remedial teacher.