Man gets life for murdering girlfriend

A TIPPERARY man, who murdered his girlfriend in a frenzied attack with two knives after a cocktail of alcohol, cannabis and Valium, was yesterday jailed for life.

Kevin Prendergast, 31, who claimed to be sorry he had not killed himself instead, said he would pray for Joanne Mangan for the rest of his life.

He murdered the 20-year-old near the village of Grange, Co Tipperary, on October 16, 2007.

Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment on Prendergast of Knockeen, Grange, after he pleaded guilty to murder. A concurrent term of 15 years was imposed on him for assault causing serious harm to the deceased’s brother, Edmund Mangan, a crime which the defendant also admitted.

Sergeant Padraic Walsh said Prendergast and Ms Mangan had returned from a holiday and had brought back rum, vodka and absinthe. He said during October 16, 2007, these drinks were consumed by a number of parties, some of whom also had cannabis and Valium.

Sgt Walsh said the couple had a volatile relationship over the previous 18 months. Before the relationship, Prendergast had served time for arson and assaults.

That night, a sister of the deceased, Geraldine Mangan and her boyfriend Graham Johnson, left the house in Grange. Edmund was asleep on the couch. Prendergast and Joanne went upstairs.

Sgt Walsh said Prendergast later told gardaí he and Joanne had an argument in an upstairs bedroom where a bed was broken in two during the row. Joanne left the house and walked across the road but Prendergast followed her, stopping to get two knives from the kitchen.

In a frenzied attack with a knife in each hand he stabbed her repeatedly in both sides of her body inflicting multiple life-threatening wounds to her lungs, liver and stomach — 14 stab wounds in total.

Geraldine Mangan and Graham Johnson returned because they had forgotten some videos and they found Joanne bleeding on the footpath. Prendergast went into the house where he inflicted nine stab wounds on Edmund Mangan.

On Tuesday, Prendergast pleaded not guilty to murdering Joanne and assaulting Edmund and a jury was sworn in to hear the case. The trial was adjourned when he then pleaded guilty to murder. It was further adjourned when he pleaded guilty to the assault charge.