‘We are disappointed... Our thoughts are with Robert’
Sitting upright and lightly clutching her black handbag, she turned to her husband Mark, trying to take in what had just happened, and said a few quiet words.
The court had found the killer of their son would not get any more than the four years in jail already handed down to him.
The appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions for a higher sentence for Wayne O’Donoghue had been rejected.
Majella gave a slight shake of her head, as if in disbelief.
The three judges of the Court of Criminal Appeal rose and people in the court stood.
Majella and Mark, flanked by two family members, sat. They watched as the people rose, still in shock that that was it. It was all over in a matter of minutes.
After a few brief comments on submissions the parties had made to the court, Ms Justice Fidelma Macken said their written judgment would be available immediately after the court rose.
Then she simply said: “The application on behalf of the applicant and the DPP is refused.”
There was no immediate visible reaction from O’Donoghue, who sat to the front and to the left of the Holohans, facing across them.
He had entered the room at 10.10am, sheepish-looking and in handcuffs, accompanied by prison officers. His parents, Ray and Therese, sat to his right, while his solicitor Frank Buttimer sat on his left.
Dressed in a light black, pin-stripped suit, with a silver tie, O’Donoghue began chatting casually to his solicitor.
At 10.15am, Majella and Mark entered. Dressed in a full-length beige coat, with a leopard-pattern scarf and black trousers, Majella sat with her typical dignity.
They were sitting for only five minutes when the judgment came and they were dealt yet another blow.
They had to come to terms with the fact that the man who killed their son would serve just four years.
With good behaviour, O’Donoghue would be out in January 2008.
As the judges left, O’Donoghue stood up and his father went over to him and shared a brief word.
The Holohans summoned their will and left the court.
In the corridor they shared words with Chief Superintendent John O’Mahony, who in his previous job at the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation led the hunt for Robert’s killer.
They then consulted with their legal advisers before leaving and running the gauntlet of more than 20 journalists and cameramen.
“We’ve no comment. We will talk later, but our thoughts are with our beautiful little boy,” said Majella in tears.
Mark said: “We are very disappointed.”
Majella added: “Our thoughts are with Robert,” before her emotions overcame her.
She turned and walked away, her husband comforting her.
