Victim statement ‘hijacked’ sentencing

AN APPLICATION should have been made for the immediate release of Wayne O’Donoghue after the mother of Robert Holohan made her victim impact statement, a senior counsel has said.

Blaise O’Carroll, speaking at a UCC Law Society debate on Wednesday, recalled how his client was about to be sentenced based solely on the evidence, mitigating circumstances and jury verdict, when Majella Holohan made her victim impact statement.

“It was completely hijacked in a sense... I took the view that what happened was so serious that an application should have been made under article 40 of the Constitution that he should have been released forthwith on the basis of what happened being the complete annihilation of the criminal justice system,” Mr O’Carroll said.