O'Donoghue murder case - Verdict in

[Eire06]

Robert Holohan murder trial

Wayne O'Donoghue has been found Not Guitly of Murder
Guilty of manslaughter

Quote from RTE News (http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/1214/holohanr.html)


Wayne O'Donoghue has been found not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of 11-year-old Robert Holohan.

The jury at the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Cork, deliberated for four hours and 21 minutes before reaching a verdict.

O'Donoghue, an Engineering Student, had admitted killing his eleven-year-old neighbour in January of this year.

[finlma]

Seems fair to me - I don't think he intended to kill the guy

[Block G Raptor]

It all seemed a bit Sus IMO

stopping to get a bottle of lucozade with the kid in the Boot

returning to the scene to burn the bags not the body?

helping in the search and not finding the body for day's

no I'm sorry i think there is a lot of questions need answering

anyway whats the story with a 21 yearold being "great Friends" with an 11 yr old and his younger sister . something doesn't ring through there for me

[Peadar]

no I'm sorry i think there is a lot of questions need answering

I trust that all those questions, and more, were raised during the trial.


anyway whats the story with a 21 yearold being "great Friends" with an 11 yr old and his younger sister

It's not unusual for people in rural communities to be friends with people of a different age group. When you don't have many neighbours close by, you tend to be friendly with the neighbours that you do have.

[Eire06]

A lot of Wayne's actions after the death of Robert were very strange alright.
I found the stopping at the shop to buy Lucosade particularly odd and chilling!!
Doesn't seem like the actions of someone who accidentally killed a friend of his...
But yet again who can say what goes through your mind after you kill someone

He also supposedly rang Roberts phone after he had disposed of the body

[finlma]

It all seemed a bit Sus IMO

stopping to get a bottle of lucozade with the kid in the Boot

returning to the scene to burn the bags not the body?

helping in the search and not finding the body for day's

no I'm sorry i think there is a lot of questions need answering

I'm sure he panicked as most people would in that situation. Lucozade is great for calming the nerves


anyway whats the story with a 21 yearold being "great Friends" with an 11 yr old and his younger sister .
Its called the country-side Block G. Doesn't happen up there in the big smoke but if you don't have neighbours for miles you can make friends with younger/older people. I'm sure they weren't best friends - just kicked around a ball whatever else.


something doesn't ring through there for me

It mighn't "ring through" for you but it "rings true" for me;)


EDIT: Posted before I read Peadar's post.

[tiktok]

It all seemed a bit Sus IMO

stopping to get a bottle of lucozade with the kid in the Boot

returning to the scene to burn the bags not the body?

helping in the search and not finding the body for day's

no I'm sorry i think there is a lot of questions need answering

anyway whats the story with a 21 yearold being "great Friends" with an 11 yr old and his younger sister . something doesn't ring through there for me

From the little I know of the case it sounds like the correct decision.
I assume he'll get a custodial sentence for the manslaughter now

I got the impression that the 'close friends' thing was a media invention. The only quotes from the families I've seen speak of how Robert looked up to Wayne, which is a completely different thing to friendship.

But Peadar may be on the money too.

[Block G Raptor]

It's not unusual for people in rural communities to be friends with people of a different age group. When you don't have many neighbours close by, you tend to be friendly with the neighbours that you do have.

I understand that but I'd still find it strange for a 21yrold to have enough in common with an 11 yr old and 7yrold(I think she's 7) to enable them to have a strong friendship which is how its described in the sunday world last week
sunday world also quotes o'donohoe's mother as saying "the three of them played together nearly every day", I dont know many 21yrolds that want to Play with their friends..No I'm not convinced that his intentions were honorable but I may be wrong

[Peadar]

...which is how its described in the sunday world last week

You might want to stop now before you dig yourself in any deeper.

[Block G Raptor]

You might want to stop now before you dig yourself in any deeper.


Yes I know its in the sunday world so it must be true :eek:

still dont have much else to go on since I dont live in the area or know any of the protaganists in the case then I'm afraid Im left with the media
I didnt buy the sw anyway me folks bought it in the boozer sat nite and i read it when i got home

[Peadar]

still dont have much else to go on since I dont live in the area or know any of the protaganists in the case then I'm afraid Im left with the media

In such cases, it's best to say nothing.

[Eire06]

I understand that but I'd still find it strange for a 21yrold to have enough in common with an 11 yr old and 7yrold(I think she's 7) to enable them to have a strong friendship which is how its described in the sunday world last week
sunday world also quotes o'donohoe's mother as saying "the three of them played together nearly every day", I dont know many 21yrolds that want to Play with their friends..No I'm not convinced that his intentions were honorable but I may be wrong
I'm in my 20's and I often go out to play football or basketball with the kids on my road..
Are you sure you aren't a reporter... You seem to be looking for some seedy element to this case!!

[Block G Raptor]

In such cases, it's best to say nothing.


I've just stated the opinion I have formed with the information provided to me
am i not entitled to do that now

jebus peader take your head out of your hole for 1 minute
at no stage did i say any of the above posts were Gospel
just that the case left me with a few doubts as to the validity of the manslaughter plea bargain

It all sounds a bit like Ian Huntley's she fell in the bath story IMO

[Block G Raptor]

I'm in my 20's and I often go out to play football or basketball with the kids on my road..
Are you sure you aren't a reporter... You seem to be looking for some seedy element to this case!!


Absolutely not a reporter
not looking for something seedy in the case
just wondering if all is not as we are being led to believe

I admit coming from the city i found the Idea of freindships like this being common in rural communites as complete B.S.
but judging by the reactions on here to some from outside the capital I stand corrected!

[paul_oshea]

I'm in my 20's and I often go out to play football or basketball with the kids on my road.. #

says it all really. block g think you could be right.

ah no block g, my neighbours are cool, they are only young, but i get on really well with them and mess about with them, and they are younger than 11!!! but how do you describe that relationship?? brothers is what i heard, not like best friends, cos brothers arent always best friends but you still mess about with them. i play wrestling and stuff with my young neighbours and look forward to going home so i can "play" with them, i put that in quotes because of the way you italiced it. all im saying is i dont have meaningful conversations with them so no i wouldnt describe them as best friends but what other way can you describe that sort of relationship???

nothing wrong with that to be honest, though his movement seemed very calculated.

[Risteard]

Followed the case a good bit and the verdict seems right to me.
Only two defence witnesses tells a story really.
Apparently the Midleton cops got very emotionally involved and were hoping for the murder verdict.
Still hope he gets a good few years.
Its fairly common for someone to be wrestling or whatever with their brother and for the child to come up struggling for air but he assaulted the child and there was going to be pain.
His actions afterwards showed bad character but his crime was done then and that had nothing to do with the charges really.
Lucozade bottle was a fairly pointless thing to make a big deal of and showed the strength of their case. Maybe they could have gotten him for perverting the course of justice if he was trying to burn the body or something + lying in his statement.
Also, think some of the reporting was very irresponsible. The Star front page last week was Robert in Killers Bedroom at 7.30am obviously suggesting a dimension of the case that was never even suggested by the prosecution.

says it all really. block g think you could be right.

ah no block g, my neighbours are cool, they are only young, but i get on really well with them and mess about with them, and they are younger than 11!!! but how do you describe that relationship?? brothers is what i heard, not like best friends, cos brothers arent always best friends but you still mess about with them. i play wrestling and stuff with my young neighbours and look forward to going home so i can "play" with them, i put that in quotes because of the way you italiced it. all im saying is i dont have meaningful conversations with them so no i wouldnt describe them as best friends but what other way can you describe that sort of relationship???

Agree.
I always nick the ball off one of the young fellas in the park, round a few of them and bury one into the corner of the gate on the way to the bus.:cool:
Or i'd go in goal for twenty minutes if my brother(11) and his buddys wanted a goalie.
I'm 21.
People, particularly older men who are involved in youth centres or scouts or even just kick a ball about the place with them, are considered fair game these days for unimaginative rumours and allegations.
Its all pc crap and i've seen one person emotionally ruined from that kind of a campaign and people just owning up to their lies saying things like "He's just a strange fella".
These are the same people who just let their kids off in the morning and don't have a clue what they're upto until whenever they decide to return.
Maybe thats why spending time with their kids seems so 'strange'.

[finlma]

He's a year in prison now. I'd be suprised if he got any more than another couple of years. He may even be let off for serving 1 year.

[Macy]

His actions after the killing are irrelevant imo. It's whether the killing is premeditated that is the big difference between murder and manslaughter ( as I understand it anyway).

Off topic, but it seems to be standard for the DPP to go for the higher charge the whole time, even when the accused is admitting the lesser charge. What is gained by pushing for murder? Except for lawyers making more money or the profile of people in the DPP....

In a rural environment, wouldn't be that unusual to mix with people a lot younger. It was probably no more than kicking a ball or a bit of slagging - similar to what happens within families with younger siblings...

[Peadar]

I've just stated the opinion I have formed with the information provided to me
am i not entitled to do that now

Of course you're entitled to do that, but don't expect anyone to respect your opinion when it is formed on the basis of what you read in the Sunday World.

Do you think you're more knowledgeable than the prosecution and could have put forward a better case for murder?

Making reference to Ian Huntley is very irresponsible given that the only similarity between the cases is that young life was taken.

You make the assertion that my head is stuck in my hole, but I clearly have a far more objective view that someone with their head stuck in the Sunday World.

[Block G Raptor]

Have to admit you've won me over
it seemed strange to me but I reckon on reading the posts here that you have convinced me that while the circumstances surrounding the case were unfortunate their was no attempt to actually kill the kid

may he rest in peace

[Block G Raptor]

Making reference to Ian Huntley is very irresponsible given that the only similarity between the cases is that young life was taken.

ok may have not come across as intended! what I meant that to me the Headlock story sounded untrue. my view on this has changed now


You make the assertion that my head is stuck in my hole, but I clearly have a far more objective view that someone with their head stuck in the Sunday World.

Yeah And there's more Sh!t in the sw:D

the reason I mentioned the rag was because it did ask some of the questions that I have been asking myself since the start of the trial
and at the time of the killing

[Eire06]

What sentence would be a suitable punishment in this case..

I hope he doesn't get 2 or 3 years and then gets out and its totally forgotten about!!

He still took a life, even though it has been judged as not premeditated he still strangled him till he died and then put Roberts family through hell searching for the body. 8-10 years minimum is deserved IMO

*Off Topic
Peadar I nominated you for post of the month for this gem

You make the assertion that my head is stuck in my hole, but I clearly have a far more objective view that someone with their head stuck in the Sunday World.

[Block G Raptor]

What sentence would be a suitable punishment in this case..

I hope he doesn't get 2 or 3 years and then gets out and its totally forgotten about!!

He still took a life, even though it has been judged as not premeditated he still strangled him till he died and then put Roberts family through hell searching for the body. 8-10 years minimum is deserved IMO

*Off Topic
Peadar I nominated you for post of the month for this gem


8-10 is about right IMO

yeah I've nominated that too. class! (2nd month in a row I've nominated a post that was ripping the p!ss out of me)

[tiktok]

Just passed today's Star in the canteen at Work.

There's two photographs of Wayne O'Donoghue, one from yesterday and the other taken at the time of the search for Robert Hoolahan, the huge tagline is "Two Faced Killer"

I don't by the Star for a very specific reason, I won't be changing my mind now. :mad:

[finlma]

8-10 years minimum is deserved IMO
Thats a bit harsh. What Padhraic Nally did was much worse IMO and he got 6 years. O'Donoghue has already served 1 year - another year on top of that would be enough punishment I think.

[Peadar]

I don't by the Star for a very specific reason, I won't be changing my mind now. :mad:

Sure the Star and the Sunday World are the same people, aren't they?
Says it all really.

[Eire06]

Thats a bit harsh. What Padhraic Nally did was much worse IMO and he got 6 years. O'Donoghue has already served 1 year - another year on top of that would be enough punishment I think.
I think Nally should have got much longer than 6 years as well our legal system is far to lenient on people.
It is a disgrace..
So your saying 2 years in Jail is an ok sentance for a man who killed a young boy by strangling him!!! Yes it has been found that it was not premeditated but he assulted the boy which resulted in the death of Robert.

This country is gone mad! And you're a prime example, People should be made responsible for their actions and not be alowed to get away with murder/Manslaughter

[finlma]

This country is gone mad! And you're a prime example, People should be made responsible for their actions and not be alowed to get away with murder/Manslaughter

I'm not that mad Eire06 but what good is keeping O'Donoghue in prison going to do. I think he's learnt his lesson and is not going to re-offend.

As for people being held responsible for their actions I couldn't agree more.A person I know was assaulted and raped on Friday night in Kilkenny (it was mentioned on Crimeline) but I doubt the person who did it will be caught. Seems to be happening a lot around Ireland. Even if they are caught these people don't get long enough sentences.

[paul_oshea]

This country is gone mad! And you're a prime example, People should be made responsible for their actions and not be alowed to get away with murder/Manslaughter

finma, just quickly i dont think you should be saying the second part on foot.ie but anyhow.

this country has gone mad in terms of murder/rape, ones a life is gone, another life should too, well the freedom of that life anyhow. i just dont understand it, especially in the case of premeditated murder. i mean these drug dealers/assasins, thats what they are, should never be released, but the reality is the barristers/judges arent living in the same world as we do, they live in the plush nice areas of dublin/cork away from the reality that is modern day ireland. If they were to experience some of these things themselves they would have a completely different view.

if someone is raped and a guy gets 4 years its ridiculous, that woman/man has to live the rest of their lives with this, in fear, emotinally scarred and probably unstable for the rest of their lives. yet this guy gets a new "lease" of life after 4 years, i just cant understand it, especially if its a woman passing sentence on a woman who has been raped. and the judges set the laws, so dont come back saying they can only hand down so much etc because thats what the law states, change the fooken law, its in their hands.

and another thing, concurrency fook that, the biggest joke of all, each sentence should be served separately i.e. additonally

[Eire06]

I'm not that mad Eire06 but what good is keeping O'Donoghue in prison going to do. I think he's learnt his lesson and is not going to re-offend.

As for people being held responsible for their actions I couldn't agree more. My sister's best friend was assaulted and raped on Friday night in Kilkenny (it was mentioned on Crimeline) but I doubt the person who did it will be caught. Seems to be happening a lot around Ireland. Even if they are caught these people don't get long enough sentences.

I think he should pay for what he did and 2 years isn't long enough.. Ya he may have 'learned his lesson' thats fine but he needs to be punished and taking 10 years of his life is a small price to pay for him taking a whole life time from someone else..

Sorry to hear about your sisters friend but try and be hopeful that he will be caught.. There was a very serious assault on a woman in Galway city but the community worked together with the Gardaí and the rapist has been caught and is now in custody awaiting a trial. Hopefully our legal system will lock him up for a very long time (He has admitted his Guilt)....

[Thunderblaster]

It is definitely not normal for a kid to be in a neighbour's house at 7:32 am taking pictures of a poster in a bedroom. Was it a sleepover? There was an obvious relationship between Wayne O'Donoghue and the Holohan family, particularly Robert. Given Robert's highlighted conditions, it seemed that one would have needed patience to be with Robert and Wayne O'Donoghue should have known how to deal with Robert better. It was a tragic case that gripped the country, but Wayne IMO should do 12 years. A 21 year old student being close to an 11 year old boy does sound a little creepy, though it was more from Robert looking up to Wayne.