Family of murdered Garda Tony Golden awarded €1.4 million compensation

A settlement of €1.4million in compensation for the widow and three children of murdered Garda Tony Golden has been approved in the High Court on Monday.

Siobhan Phelan SC told Mr Justice Michael Twomey it had been agreed that Nicola Golden, the late garda's widow, would receive €961,000 with €439,000 being divided among the couple's children.

Ms Phelan, who appeared with barrister Eamonn MJ Coffey and James McGuill Solicitors for the family, said Lucy (10) would receive €137,000 for mental distress and loss of dependency; Alexandra (8) would receive €146,000 and Andrew (6) would receive €156,000.

The money will be lodged to their benefit in court until they are 18 but application for interim pay-outs on their behalf may be made to the court.

Micheal O'Scanaill SC, who appeared with barrister Joseph O'Sullivan and Tanya Canning for the Minister for Expenditure and Reform, told Ms Justice Twomey the parties had agreed to mediation and had met in Dundalk on Friday and had finalised all issues.

He said a global figure of €1.4million had been agreed and details of how much would be received by each dependant would be outlined to the court by Ms Phelan. He said that on behalf of the Minister and everyone engaged in the mediation he wished to extend deepest sympathy to Ms Golden and her children following their tragic loss.

Ms Justice Twomey, sympathising with the family while approving the settlements, complimented all parties involved in the mediation on the basis that it had prevented the family from the stress of a full trial to measure compensation.

Ms Golden was a nurse with the HSE at the time of the murder but had not worked since the shooting of her husband and, the court heard previously, could no longer work in the position.

Shot five times

Garda Golden was aged 36 when he had been shot after responding to a domestic violence complaint in Omeath, Co Louth, on October 11th, 2015. He was shot five times and killed in a murder-suicide attack.

In uniform and unarmed, he had accompanied Siobhan Philips (23) to the house she shared with her physically abusive partner Adrian only to have been brutally killed by him, a known dissident republican who had been released on bail on a charge of membership of the IRA. He had previously been given a three-year suspended sentence on firearms charges in the North.

Mackin, after shooting Garda Golden, shot his partner four times, including one bullet to her head before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life.

Ms Philips, who survived her injuries, is living in Co Down. She had two children by Mackin and has issued personal injury proceedings against the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, the Minister for Justice, Ireland and the Attorney General alleging negligence.

Monday’s court orders included all of the Golden family’s legal costs which are to be adjudicated upon in default of agreement.