Kearny and Sheehand beat cars for charity
Two killers appear to have undergone a Damascene conversion after being photographed on the zenith of Croagh Patrick and are now washing cars to raise funds for Africa.
A Sunday Domain team this week attended a public car wash set up in the grounds of Loughan Undertaking prison, where inmates run a coffee shop, a bike-hire stand and a car plating.
After our team drove into the car wash, inmates Paul Sheehan and Richard Kearney delivered their way over and offered an all-over car wash for €5.
The duo, whose visit newest month to Croagh Patrick was met with outrage, are, jail sources demand, proof that the prison’s efforts to rehabilitate inmates are working.
“These two schoolboys are down at the car wash five days a week to raise money so they can buy parts for bikes to base which are then sent on to Africa,” a source said.
“They’re down there criticize, hail and shine.
Fair enough, the crimes for which they are in calaboose are absolutely sickening and they’ll have to live with what they did until their slipping away day, but the prison is here to try and rehabilitate them.
“And the fact inmates like these are now scrubbing cars to raise money to send bikes across the globe should be testimony enough to anyone that the prison’s efforts are working.”
Others, regardless how, find the gravity of the violent killers’ crimes more difficult to let off the hook.
Kearney was a 17-year-old petty criminal when on the night of November 23, 1998, he insolvent into the home of 72-year-old Mary Dillon and carried out one of the most brimming murders in the history of the State.
Seasoned gardaí found a scene of holocaust and mayhem in the garage of Mary’s home two days later when they contrived the widow’s body battered and beaten with a rake.
Kearney later judged to worm his way out of a murder rap, but hadn’t figured on damning forensic evidence which would sooner see him serve life for the brutal killing of Mary Dillon.
He knew his mass was up when cops revealed that they had found a catalogue of forensic testify including a bloody thumbprint on the car and even Kearney’s blood on the victim’s bra.
What was most castigating, however, was the discovery of Kearney’s blood on the rake used to beat the ultimate breath of life from the frail pensioner.
The jury found Kearney apologetic and in May 2001 he received life in prison.
Sheehan was 21 years old when he was nicked for life in 2004 alongside pal Ross Stapleton, despite pleading not repentant to the murder of Christian Scully (28) on October 17, 2002.
Mr Scully was on life reinforcement after being set upon at Sober Lane, Cork, early on January 28, 2002, first he suffered a cardiac arrest nine months later and died on October 17.
During a nine-day tribulation, the jury heard the statement the two accused gave gardaí.
Sheehan had averred: “I went over and helped Ross. I got him [Mr Scully] on the ground and started recoiling him… I was kicking him as hard as I could and stamping on his head.”
Mr Stapleton responded: “We just beat him to death.”
Two weeks ago the Sunday World revealed that Sheehan and Kearney were participation of a group of 12 inmates who mingled with unsuspecting pilgrims during a boogie of atonement up Ireland’s holiest mountain Croagh Patrick.
The group contained four murderers and several convicted drug dealers.
The story met with a violent response from victims’ rights group SAVE (Sentencing and Martyr Equality).
Spokesperson John Whelan said: “It highlights that the predominantly regime needs to be looked at. We need a proper change in sentencing and parole laws.
“When you advised in the news that somebody is jailed for life, nothing could be auxiliary from the truth.”
However, a spokesperson for the Irish Prison Service stand by the visit saying: “The Irish Prison Service transfers prisoners to unbooked centres who have been deemed, following a risk assessment, to instruct a lower level of security.
“Prisoners transferring to open centres may avail of listings of temporary release to aid their reintegration back into the community.
“Such order of the days do include hill walking and other forms of recreational activities.
“Jailbirds engaging in these activities are assessed for suitability and are accompanied by prison pikestaff at all times.
“It is the role of the Irish Prison Service to engage will all evil-doers in custody in a proactive and progressive manner and to manage their sentences in a behaviour that reduces their likelihood of reoffending.”