Woman admits helping man abduct daughter
At Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court yesterday 33-year-old Regina Nelligan pleaded guilty to taking then four-year-old Deirdre Crowley from her mother, Christine O’Sullivan, some time between December 3, 1999, and August 31, 2001.
Christopher Crowley, who was separated from Ms O’Sullivan, was seeing his daughter Deirdre by agreement on the first weekend of December 1999.
Six-year-old Deirdre’s body was found in a rented house in Clonmel 20 months after she first disappeared.
Her 43-year-old father shot her once, killing her instantly, moments after two gardaí arrived on their doorstep at a rented cottage on the edge of the Co Tipperary town. The former maths teacher then turned the stolen, sawn-off shotgun on himself.
Ms Nelligan, of Fermoy, Co Cork, did not speak during the brief hearing, except to confirm her guilty plea.
Nearby, Ms O’Sullivan sat alone. She was flanked on either side by detectives who have played a central role in the case.
Both are due back in court again tomorrow when Judge Michael O’Shea is expected to rule in the case.
Senior counsel Niall Dornin told Judge O’Shea that Ms Nelligan was receiving ongoing psychological treatment.
Mr Dornin asked that sentencing on the matter be adjourned until March.
But after consultation with the various parties involved, both he and State counsel John Walsh agreed that the matter should be resolved on Thursday.
The case on Thursday is expected to take an entire day and will feature various victim impact assessments as well as psychological evidence.
