Mark Smyth Victim Impact Statement. Read by deceased's brother, Peter Smyth, in court and outside.
TODAY’S OUTCOME is just a small consolation in what had been a very traumatic year for our family and for Mark’s partner, Emma Shaw, and her family and for Mark and Emma’s two boys.
Mark leaves behind his heartbroken father, Paddy, brothers Pat, Peter and Cecil and his younger sister Janice. Mark’s mother, Bridie, passed away nine years ago after a short illness.
Mark’s brutal death on March 18, 2008, has left us all devastated and mentally scarred for the rest of our lives. I don’t believe that life will ever be the same again for any of us.
I know that any death in a family is hard to accept, but the brutal death that was inflicted on Mark, in front of his partner Emma and his small son, is just too much to take.
It has left us feeling such a sense of loss and emptiness in our lives. It’s almost impossible to put into words.
Mark was a very popular person. You only had to be at his funeral to appreciate this. The thought that none of us will ever talk, hug or have a laugh with Mark again is what really hurts the most.
Mark was a young man with his whole life ahead of him. He had everything to live for – a loving partner, two lovely boys, his own business, a family who loved him and a lovely home.
It all seems like a bad dream.
When Carlos Byrne and Lindsey Fahy have served their time, they will still have their lives ahead of them and a chance to rebuild their lives. Mark never got that chance.
Mark idolised his two boys. The thought of them growing up without Mark is hard to imagine. Today brings a welcome end to this trial which has taken over three weeks and has left us emotionally drained. The grieving and pain that we all have had to endure, and will continue to endure in the days ahead, will probably never end.
This had had such an impact on Mark’s father, Paddy, that he couldn’t bring himself to attend this trial. It would have been too much for him to bear – to actually listen to what had happened to his son Mark.
We would like to thank Det Insp Colm Fox and his team who carried out their investigations in a very professional manner.
We would also like to thank the neighbours from the Fortlawn Estate – who did all they could to help Mark and Emma on that tragic night.
We would like to ask the press to respect our privacy at this time in order for us to try in some way to rebuild our lives.
Our lives will never be the same again without Mark – a beloved father, partner, son, brother, uncle and friend.