Grangegorman: ‘Most horrific crime scene’

Retired detective said scene of murders carried out by Mark Nash will stay with him for the rest of his life

A lead investigator in the 1997 murders of two psychiatric patients by serial killer Mark Nash said it was the “most horrific crime scene” he ever witnessed.

Retired detective sergeant Alan Bailey said it was something that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

Sylvia Shields, 59, and Mary Callinan, 61, were found stabbed to death at their sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman Psychiatric Hospital, Dublin, on March 7, 1997.

Nash is serving a double life sentence for their murders. This is in addition to two other life sentences: for the killing of couple Carl and Catherine Doyle in Roscommon in August 1997.

The Grangegorman murders sparked an inquiry into the garda investigation which resulted in a heroin addict, Dean Lyons, being charged with the women’s murders in July 1997.

Speaking on Today with Sean O’Rourke on RTÉ, Mr Bailey said the day he went to the scene would remain forever with him.

“It was the most horrific crime scene I’ve ever visited and something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. The ferocity and anger visited on those two elderly ladies, innocent ladies, was frightening to look at.”

Mr Bailey, whose book The Grangegorman Murders has just been published, said a third woman who was in the house, Ann Mernagh, was lucky she was not killed.

“Ann Mernagh slept through all of the incident. She slept with the blanket over her head and a Walkman cassette recorder to help her sleep. We believe that’s what saved her life.”

He said Nash actually stood beside her bed and that the mattress showed traces of both victims’ blood.

Asked why Nash did not kill her too, he said: “The explanation he gave was whatever mood he was in passed. He realised the enormity of what he had done and just left.”

The retired detective said that more than 250 people were interviewed in relation to the women’s murder. Mr Lyons was one of those, after he was heard making some reference of “doing a job in the ‘Gorman’”.

He said Mr Lyons, a heroin addict, gave a voluntary interview and gave an admission.

But Mr Bailey, who was one of the interviewers, said “basic” facts were missing — including that he only killed one woman, that he killed her on the stairs [bedroom] and that he used one weapon [multiple weapons were used]. “I didn’t believe him. Dean Lyons became quite aggressive and abusive to myself and [another guard]. He said ‘I did it, end of story’.”

The subsequent inquiry by George Bermingham found Mr Lyons was very easily led and fed off the questions.

Mr Bailey said both himself and another detective brought their concerns to superior officers: “At that stage our concerns were dismissed totally.”

Nash admitted to the murders when he was arrested for the Doyle killings in August 1997.

Mr Bailey said that his superiors were “not for turning” on the matter: They had numerous admissions from Lyons and felt Nash was claiming the Grangegorman murders to show he was insane.