I remember the case of Wayne O'Donoghue only too well. Not only did I report on the search for Robert Holohan, but his body was found on my 40th Birthday. In fact, just as I was on the phone to a friend, planning to meet for a drink to mark the day, the other line buzzed, and, well, you know the rest.
I covered Wayne O'Donoghues trial from start to finish at the Central Criminal Court, which sat in Cork for the case, and at which he was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. I was in Ennis for his sentence hearing, and heard Majella Holohans controversial, impassioned Victim Impact Statement.
When Wayne O'Donghue was released from the Midlands Prison early one bitterly cold January morning in 2008, I was there - part of the expected and inevitable media scrum. As he was driven away, the questions on so many minds were "Where is he going..? What will he do..?.."
I said it then, and I've said it many times since - I don't care. It's none of my business. It's not a story any more. He did the crime, and did his time. He's free to go wherever he wants to go. If some scurvy little pup from the red-tops wants to chase him down and get a picture of him buying the paper or walking the dog, that's up to them, but it's not for me.
What he did was wrong. He made it worse by his awful behaviour in the days that followed. He did a terrible wrong to the Holohan family. He was given a remarkably short sentence - albeit one that stood up under the scrutiny of an appeals process - and while he was able to walk free that morning two years ago, the Holohan family are left forever without their beautiful little boy. I have a son. I could not even comprehend losing him. I cannot imagine how much it's got to hurt.
Yet, under the law, Wayne O'Donoghue is entitled to live out the rest of his life. He's a free man whether anyone likes it or not. If I'm giving an honest opinion, he got off very, very lightly indeed. That, however, is how the cookie crumbles .. it is what it is, as they say.
Move on.
Next story, please.
On Sunday, I picked up my "Sunday World", and there it was.
"Wayne's Girl.. Child Killer O'Donoghue finds love with sexy British student.."
I'm appalled.
I'm a journalist, yet I'm disgusted to see this article.
Wayne O'Donoghue is now studying for a degree at an English University. He calls himself "Paddy" ... his middle name. He has met and is now living with a gorgeous girl, who the paper tells us "is devoted to him despite knowing about his conviction.. "..etc etc..
Both his picture, and hers, are plastered across the paper for effect.
When Wayne O'Donghue was released from the Midlands Prison early one bitterly cold January morning in 2008, I was there - part of the expected and inevitable media scrum. As he was driven away, the questions on so many minds were "Where is he going..? What will he do..?.."
I said it then, and I've said it many times since - I don't care. It's none of my business. It's not a story any more. He did the crime, and did his time. He's free to go wherever he wants to go. If some scurvy little pup from the red-tops wants to chase him down and get a picture of him buying the paper or walking the dog, that's up to them, but it's not for me.
What he did was wrong. He made it worse by his awful behaviour in the days that followed. He did a terrible wrong to the Holohan family. He was given a remarkably short sentence - albeit one that stood up under the scrutiny of an appeals process - and while he was able to walk free that morning two years ago, the Holohan family are left forever without their beautiful little boy. I have a son. I could not even comprehend losing him. I cannot imagine how much it's got to hurt.
Yet, under the law, Wayne O'Donoghue is entitled to live out the rest of his life. He's a free man whether anyone likes it or not. If I'm giving an honest opinion, he got off very, very lightly indeed. That, however, is how the cookie crumbles .. it is what it is, as they say.
Move on.
Next story, please.
On Sunday, I picked up my "Sunday World", and there it was.
"Wayne's Girl.. Child Killer O'Donoghue finds love with sexy British student.."
I'm appalled.
I'm a journalist, yet I'm disgusted to see this article.
Wayne O'Donoghue is now studying for a degree at an English University. He calls himself "Paddy" ... his middle name. He has met and is now living with a gorgeous girl, who the paper tells us "is devoted to him despite knowing about his conviction.. "..etc etc..
Both his picture, and hers, are plastered across the paper for effect.
Why is it necessary to do this? Why?
Yes, he did something truly awful.
Yes, he did something truly awful.
Yes, there are questions still unanswered about what happened at that awful time in 2005, and about many other aspects of the death of Robert Holohan.
Yes, he deprived a family of their son, and outraged a Nation by cynically pretending to look for him - even appearing on the RTE News as a member of a search party.
But - answer me this?
Will the Sunday World article of January 17th, 2010 bring back Robert Holohan?
Will it answer even ONE of the outstanding questions?
Will it acheive anything other than to possibly sell a few more copies of a paper that already sells by the truckload?
Is it fair to a young woman who, like many more like her, has committed no crime, but formed a relationship with a man who has a bad past?
Yes, he deprived a family of their son, and outraged a Nation by cynically pretending to look for him - even appearing on the RTE News as a member of a search party.
But - answer me this?
Will the Sunday World article of January 17th, 2010 bring back Robert Holohan?
Will it answer even ONE of the outstanding questions?
Will it acheive anything other than to possibly sell a few more copies of a paper that already sells by the truckload?
Is it fair to a young woman who, like many more like her, has committed no crime, but formed a relationship with a man who has a bad past?
Was there any need, or public interest served, by this article?
The answer to all those questions, as far as I'm concerned anyway, is an emphatic NO.
It was, as far as I'm concerned, nothing less than a disgrace.
The answer to all those questions, as far as I'm concerned anyway, is an emphatic NO.
It was, as far as I'm concerned, nothing less than a disgrace.
No comments:
Post a Comment