‘He was a loved and loving son’

MAUREEN and Martin McGowan struggled to hold back tears as they proudly held up a picture of their son in his graduation robes for photographers outside the Four Courts.

Their relief at the sentence was matched only by their sadness at having lost their 22-year-old son, described as vibrant, popular and full of life.

They couldn’t bring themselves to talk to the waiting media but their solicitor let it be known how happy and relieved they were that justice had been done.