BRENDAN O'Donnell was jailed for life yesterday after he was found guilty by a majority jury decision of the murders of Imelda Riney, her son, Liam, and Father Joseph Walsh in 1994.
O'Donnell had admitted to the court that he shot dead all three victims. They were all shot in the head at close range, with Ms Riney being shot in the left eye socket. The body of the three year old child was found in a Co Clare wood lying across his mother's body while the priest's body was about 950 feet away.
The jury of six men and six women reached their verdict at 3.24 p.m. yesterday after almost four hours' deliberation at the Central Criminal Court on the 53rd day of the trial.
O'Donnell sat impassively as the verdicts were read to the packed and silent court. A large number of gardai and prison officers stood close beside him.
Relatives of the three victims wept and some of the jurors were in tears, with one weeping openly, as the jury forewoman told the court registrar of the verdicts on each of the 12 charges.
Ms Fiona Sampson, of whose kidnapping O'Donnell was convicted, also wept and was surrounded by her equally distraught family.
Mr Val Ballance, the former husband of Imelda Riney and father of Liam Riney, Ms Riney's five sisters, and the sisters of Father Joseph Walsh were, among those present for the verdict.
Mr Justice Lavan asked O'Donnell, clad in a green anorak, blue denim jeans, blue shirt and patterned tie, to stand after the verdicts were read.
He told O'Donnell. "You have been found guilty by a jury of the murder of Imelda and Liam Riney and Father Joseph Walsh He said the three murder counts "carry a mandatory sentence for which I do not have to hear evidence". He told him he was sentencing him to life imprisonment on all three murder counts.
The judge said he would defer sentence on the other charges which include charges of kidnapping Ms Sampson and Mr Edward Cleary. He listed the matter for mention on June 4th with the intention of setting a date for sentence.
He told Mr Patrick MacEntee SC, defending, that he had heard a lot of medical evidence and asked counsel if he wished to have the judge order probationary and psychiatric reports on O'Donnell.
Mr MacEntee said the judge had all the relevant evidence and had heard it in a more correct form than would be contained in a report.
There were subdued cries of protest from some people in the courtroom when Mr MacEntee basked Mr Justice Lavan to send O'Donnell to the Central Mental Hospital rather than prison.
Counsel said the question of present disposal of O'Donnell arose. He said Dr Charles Smith, the clinical director of the Central Mental Hospital, had said the appropriate place for O'Donnell, with regard to his present state of health, was in the CMH.
Mr Justice Lavan told Mr MacEntee he would not accede to the application. He said. "I refuse that application. This man was found guilty by a jury of his peers. It is a matter for the authorities."
The judge thanked the jury for their service during the 11 weeks of "this long, difficult and arduous trial". He noted that one of the jurors had suffered a bereavement in the course of the hearing and the jurors were under great strain as a result of the evidence they had heard. He exempted all of them from further jury service for life.
Mr Justice Lavan said. "To conclude this tragic episode, I extend the sympathy of the court to the family and friends of Imelda and baby Liam Riney who have suffered greatly since the appalling acts and during this trial."
"I also extend sympathy to Mrs Maher, the sister of Father Walsh, and all of Father Walsh's family and friends." He extended sympathy to Bishop John Kirby and all of Father Walsh's colleagues "on their tragic loss".
It was "highly appropriate" in regard to the "horrific events" which led to the arrest of the accused man that he commend the bravery of Ms Fiona Sampson and Mr Edward Cleary, and Garda Richard Quinlivan and all who risked their lives to save those two people, Mr Justice Lavan said.
He asked that his words be communicated to the Garda Commissioner and also requested that the Commissioner be informed of his deep appreciation of the kindness and consideration shown by Garda Roddy Rohan throughout the trial.
The judge then told the jury they were free to go, and the court rose. Relatives sobbed and hugged each other, and gardai and prison officers surrounded O'Donnell until the court cleared.
The jury found O'Donnell guilty by a 10-2 majority of the murder of Ms Riney (29) and her son Liam (3) on a date unknown between April 28th and May 8th, 1994. Also by a majority of 10-2 they convicted him of the murder of Father Walsh (37), the former curate of Eyrecourt, Co Galway, between May 3rd and 8th, 1994. The jury members found O'Donnell guilty by a 11-1 majority on the remaining charges. They convicted him of falsely imprisoning Father Walsh, kidnapping Ms Sampson and Mr Cleary on May 7th, 1994, and hijacking vehicles driven by both persons on the same date.
They found O'Donnell guilty of having a BSA .22 Sportsman rifle and ammunition with intent to endanger life and for unlawful purposes on May 7th, 1994.
They went out to consider their verdict at 6.56 p.m. on Monday and were sent to a hotel at 8 p.m. that night. They returned to court yesterday at 10 a.m. and resumed their deliberations. They adjourned for lunch between 12.55p.m. and 2.30 pm. and returned with their verdict at 3.24 p.m. The verdict came on the 53rd day of the trial of O'Donnell (22), a native of Co Clare but of no fixed abode, who had denied all 12 charges.