Wife killer Brian Kearney has been left reeling after a planned visit outside of prison was cancelled at the last minute.
The Irish Mirror has learned that Kearney was excited to be granted a day out of prison at a counselling service specifically set up to ‘reunite’ prisoners with family members.
But the visit, which would’ve seen Kearney meeting relatives at a property in West Dublin, was suddenly cancelled by those relatives, just days before it was supposed to go ahead. It is understood the family members pulled out of the visit, and no plans have been made to reschedule.
It comes after we revealed the escorted visit, which could have aided Kearney in his latest bid for parole, had been sanctioned just days before.
The killer, who strangled his wife Siobhan McLaughlin to death at their home in Goatstown, Dublin, 20 years ago, is now on his fifth attempt to gain freedom – and had hoped the session where he was reunited with loved ones could aid in his upcoming meeting with the Parole Board.
Brian Kearney(Image: Julien Behal/PA Wire)
“This is a blow for Kearney,” a source said. It could have been the media coverage or it could just be cold feet, but those who agreed to visit him changed their minds,” a source said. “It is up to them to reschedule if they want, but nothing’s been flagged for now. He can’t do anything about it.”
The Irish Mirror understands that the property Kearney was set to visit frequently hosts prisoners who are often coming to the end of their sentence, in meeting with loved ones in a so-called ‘neutral’ venue. The house, which is located in the heart of a West Dublin village, provides a venue for families to meet behind closed doors with prisoners, aided by a counsellor who can help them discuss any outstanding issues.
The heartbroken family of Siobhan McLaughlin had been informed of the move – though they were not told the exact day or the location in which the visit was to occur.
Speaking to us last week, Siobhan’s sister Brigid spoke of her outrage at learning the shocking news via email.
“We got a totally cold and callous email telling us that he’s getting compassionate leave from prison with absolutely no explanation at all as to what this means,” Siobhan’s sister Brigid said.
“It has sent shockwaves through the whole family. We received no consultation at all. It was just a short email informing us. Now we’re worried that he could be anywhere. I mean we could bump into him.
Siobhan’s heartbroken mother Deirdre blames her cancer diagnosis on killer Brian Kearney.
The bizarre move comes just a week after Siobhan’s family spoke passionately to this paper about their fight to keep Brian Kearney behind bars. Her heartbroken mother Deirdre told us how she blamed her cancer on the killer.
“I have cancer. I blame him. Everything was brought on from what happened to Siobhan. I think about her every day of my life,” Deirdre said.
Siobhan’s family have a scheduled meeting with the Parole Board just next month, as they are forced to once again plead with them to keep Kearney behind bars.
“It’s getting worse over time. I’m getting older and it’s just getting worse. We just stop and think how she was robbed of this marvellous life we have. It’s all gone because he decided in a mad moment to get rid of her,” Deirdre told us.
“It’s affected us so badly and he has no idea how much it has devastated us. It never goes away. I’m going up to the parole board like I did the last time. It’s very important that I see them,” she said.
The devastated mother said she intends to tell the board that if they plan on releasing the ailing killer this time, then they’d better understand how much that will impact her life.
“I’ll tell them that if they intend to leave him out then they better put security at my door because I am terrified,” she said. “I am terrified and I really mean that. I’m certainly afraid. I’ll never get over what he did and how he walked away from it. I’ll never forgive him for it.”
Kearney’s latest pending parole hearing will be his fourth since he was jailed for life in 2008. The evil killer murdered his wife because she intended to leave him. The monster strangled Siobhan in her room, then used a Dyson vacuum cleaner flex as a ligature before trying to hoist her over the en-suite door in her bedroom in an attempt to make it look like a suicide.
Their three-year-old son lay sleeping in the next room at the time and Siobhan’s body was later discovered by her family who broke into the bedroom after failing to contact her. The prosecution alleged he killed Siobhan because she was planning to leave him, something that would have placed him under severe financial pressure.
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