Campaigners insist victims must be heard

VICTIMS of serious crime must continue to be allowed to reveal in court how they have been affected by their ordeal, campaigners said yesterday.

The Advocates for Victims of Homicide (AdVIC) group spoke out following remarks made by Mr Justice Paul Carney over the Wayne O’Donoghue case and the issue of victim impact statements.

Speaking on Wednesday night in Cork, Mr Justice Carney said the tabloid media’s reporting of Majella Holohan’s “unscripted allegations” in court had frustrated the court’s desire to rehabilitate O’Donoghue.