Cork families 'horrified' as murderer due for parole hearing

Woman who survived his attack and victim's family were assured a new parole bill would postpone process for another five years

Sinead O’Leary who was attacked by Peter Whelan 

Rochestown murderer Peter Whelan is due a parole hearing this month, even though the woman who survived his attack and the family of the woman he murdered, Nichola Sweeney, were assured that a new parole bill would postpone that process for another five years.

John Sweeney, father of Nichola Sweeney who was just 20 when she was stabbed to death by Whelan in a random, motiveless attack at her family home in Cork, said that he and his wife were "horrified and extremely distressed" to get the notification.