The mother of a 17-year-old Dublin schoolboy who was stabbed to death outside a cinema for his wallet and mobile phone told the Central Criminal Court yesterday that a part of her had died when he was killed.
Ms Miriam Higgins made her comments during her victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing of three young men in connection with the death of her son, Alan, in October 2002.
Christopher Dunne (17) was found guilty of his murder, while Anthony Whelan (18) and Michael Maher (18) pleaded guilty to his manslaughter, at the Central Criminal Court in October this year.
During the trial the jury heard how Alan Higgins, from Donaghmede in Dublin, had just given his girlfriend, Ms Tanya Franciosa, a goodnight kiss when he was set upon by Dunne, Maher and Whelan. Dunne, who was aged 15 at the time, stabbed Mr Higgins three times in the ribs. He was also found guilty of stealing Mr Higgins's mobile phone and a sum of money.
Ms Higgins told the court yesterday that her son was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1989 when he was aged four. "His existence for two years was being in hospital or at home, isolated from his friends and family because of infection. He never moaned and took his illness in his stride and was extremely brave."
Ms Higgins said she got a phone call at 11 p.m. on the evening her son was attacked.
"The person informed me that Alan had been beaten up and was on his way by ambulance to hospital." She went to Beaumont Hospital and at 3.30 a.m. was told that her son had died 20 minutes earlier following several cardiac arrests.
Her voice faltering, she said: "A part of me died too, knowing that no one person or one thing could ever fill that piece of my heart."
As her mother spoke, Catríona Higgins, the murdered boy's 21-year-old sister, wept.
Ms Higgins said that Catríona, who had been studying veterinary nursing in Scotland, had to come home as she was unable to cope with the loss of her brother. "Alan's murder took everything from Catríona, including the special bond they had together, and this has turned her world upside down."
Mr Justice Abbott adjourned sentencing until next week.
