A 32-year-old man has been jailed for life for the murder of his girlfriend in Ennis more than a year ago.
In the Central Criminal Court, Noel Hogan (32), a native of Limerick city with a last address at Brewery Lane, Ennis, pleaded guilty to the murder of his girlfriend, Ms Lorraine O'Connor, on October 21st, 2001.
Ms O'Connor's body was found concealed beneath a bed base in her flat in Ennis by another occupant of the flat. Her mother had reported her missing to gardaí.
Nine members of the O'Connor family attended the court hearing and heard the accused man plead guilty.
Afterwards Lorraine's brother, Mr Derek O'Connor, said her family is relieved that the ordeal is finally over. "We are very pleased with the outcome. Justice was the real winner today and there is a great sense of relief that it has come to an end," Mr O'Connor said.
"There is no justification for the crime that took place. What was done was so horrific that it is unimaginable," he added. "There was a certain element of anger there but what is done is done and all we can do now is get on with our own lives. Today was the conclusion of it and he got what he deserved . . . he got life," he said.
Mr Justice Carney imposed the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, to date from the day Hogan was arrested.
Sgt Seamus Ruane of Ennis Garda station told the court that Hogan had been going out with Ms O'Connor for about two years when the incident happened. For a time, he had lived in her house, and he had also worked in a pub for which the O'Connor family held the licence.
The deceased woman's mother had dropped Hogan and Ms O'Connor to a nightclub in Ennis at around 1.30 a.m. on October 21st. Mrs O'Connor came to open her pub at 9.30 a.m., and when Hogan joined her there, she asked him where her daughter was.
"He said he didn't know, she was back at the flat as far as he was aware," Sgt Ruane said.
He said Mrs O'Connor's concern grew throughout the day, and that evening, she reported her daughter missing. A Garda hunt was immediately launched.
Ms O'Connor's body was found days later by another occupant of the flat. It had been placed under the base of a new bed in an unoccupied spare room in an attempt to conceal it.
Gardaí found that Hogan had left for England, having stolen the takings of the O'Connor pub, some £2,600. When the money ran out, Sgt Ruane said, Hogan rang an Ennis-based sergeant on October 27th and told him where he was. He then gave himself up at Paddington Green police station and stayed voluntarily there until gardaí came to collect him.
On arrival back at Shannon Airport, he was formally arrested. On the plane back and at Ennis Garda station, he made statements of admission to the murder. In the statements, he admitted strangling Ms O'Connor on October 21st.
The court heard Ms O'Connor was entirely without blame for what happened and that she was taken by surprise by Hogan.
Sgt Ruane said Hogan had previous convictions for larceny and assault causing actual bodily harm.