Composure of Cawley family finally breaks

THE dignified composure of the family of Celine Cawley finally cracked as her brother Chris tearfully bid her farewell with the words: “Celine, we love you.”

The members of the Cawley family – including her brother Chris, sister Susanna, father Jim and brother-in-law Andrew Coonan – emerged with arms linked through the doors of the Criminal Courts of Justice 35 minutes after Eamonn Lillis had been led away to begin his sentence for the killing of Ms Cawley in December 2008.

In court, the Judge, Mr Justice Barry White, had already referred to the Cawley family’s dignified behaviour throughout the ordeal of the trial. That stoic demeanour continued yesterday before the flashing cameras and whirring dictaphones.