Real Lives Untold Sarah Trina

In the first episode of Season 2 Trina and Sarah speak with Janet O'Brien, an amazingly courageous and resilient woman who lost her son Luke to a one-punch assault in Tallaght, South West Dublin on Halloween night 2017. His killer, 21 year old Jack Hall Ellis of Lismore Road in Crumlin, a childhood friend of Luke, punched him in his words “in drunkenness and anger” on the old Blessington Road after they left a pub. 13 days later Luke who was just 20 lost his fight for life in hospital from the injuries to his brain that he sustained when he hit his head on the ground as a result of the punch. Hall Ellis had downed up to ten double shots rum that night the court heard after he pleaded guilty in 2019 to the unlawful killing of Luke O' Brien O'Reilly and he was jailed for five years. Before his release from prison late last year Luke’s mother Janet met her son’s killer as part of the Restorative Justice Process, something she sought out herself, it has to be stressed. During that meeting she showed Hall Ellis a photograph of her son as he fought for his life in hospital during those last days. Janet has kindly agreed to tell us her painful story , she believes one punch assaults should carry a minimum sentence and she would encourage more people to avail of restorative justice.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY ANY OF THE ISSUES IN THE EPISODE YOU CAN CALL THE CRIME VICTIM'S HELPINE (crimevictimshelpline.ie) Freephone 116006
Or go to Home - Restorative Justice to find out more

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Sarah and Trina are joined by Micháel Campbell whose only daughter Ciara was murdered by her ex boyfriend in front of her 4 year old son in her home in County Carlow. It happened on the 12th of November 2007. Gordon Molloy from Ballickmoyler in Laois had been stalking 22 year-old Ciara for months after she ended their turbulent relationship. He had threatened to kill her and had broken into her home on numerous occasions to scare her. Ciara had been staying with friends the night before her murder and returned to the house the following morning, met her father Micháel with Jamie at the door, Micháel left for work and she made her way in with her young son. Molloy was inside her home after forcing entry the night before and lay in wait for her. He stabbed her 27 times, her son witnessed the savage attack. Micháel recounts the trauma of finding out what happened later that day and talks about the devastating impact Ciara's death has had on Jamie and the family. Micháel and Ciara's mother Paidi have met with the Parole Board to object to the murderer's 3rd application for release. They firmly believe he will kill again if he's allowed out.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY ANY OF THE ISSUES IN THE EPISODE YOU CAN CALL THE CRIME VICTIM'S HELPINE (crimevictimshelpline.ie) Freephone 116006 I WOMEN'S AID ON 1800 341 900 I MEN'S AID 01 5543811

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In January 2018 twenty one year-old Nicole Fox took her own life in the family home after she suffered over three years of relentless, brutal bullying both in person and online, perpetrated by a group of young adults. In the immediate aftermath of her beloved daughter’s death Nicole’s mother Jackie started to campaign for the anti-harassment laws here to be updated to include online bullying. In 2021 Jackie’s work paid off and Coco's Law was introduced. The new legislation criminalises harmful communications including the threat of and the distribution of intimate images. Jackie talks to Trina and Sarah about her painful journey, the loss of her beautiful daughter, how she will never move on but is moving forward and has learned to smile again.
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Retired Detective Inspector Pat Marry was involved in investigating some of Ireland's most high profile murders. He has written a book entitled the Making of Detective which was then adapted into a podcast series. Today he talks to Sarah and Trina about two notorious murderers, Joe O’Reilly and Colin Whelan, who callously plotted to kill their wives and went to extraordinary lengths to cover up their crimes and evade justice. O’Reilly has never expressed remorse over the cold blooded killing of his wife Rachel, the mother of his children at the family home in the Naul, North County Dublin in 2004. Pat talks about O’Reilly’s bizarre behaviour after the murder and his latest unsuccessful bid for parole. We also discuss the brutal murder of Mary Gough by her husband Colin Whelan at their home in Balbriggan North Dublin in 2001. Whelan strangled his wife following months of plotting and planning, he then tried but failed to stage the scene to look like Mary had fallen down the stairs. The former detective talks about his close contact with the families of the victims and how these women will never be forgotten
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Three years ago this week on night of the 22nd into 23rd of October 2020, IT specialist Sameer Syed travelled to the home of his estranged wife 37 year old Seema Banu and their two children 11 year old asfira and 6 year old Faizan. It was under cover of darkness and he was dressed as a women. He murdered all three by strangling them with a ligature and then left a tap on, flooding their house in the Llewelyn estate in Ballinteer South Dublin. Their bodies were discovered a few days later. Syed was an abusive husband and father and would torture them, he had moved them from their home country two years beforehand and Seema Banu who was unhappy here was planning on moving back. Syed would regularly go to the house even after a court ordered him to stay away when he was charged and to stand trial accused of seriously assaulting Seema Banu by strangling her to an unresponsive case. He was later charged with the murders and a week before he was due to stand trial before the Central Criminal Court he was found dead in his cell in prison. In this episode we also talk to Womens Aid CEO Sarah Benson who says the focus in this case should have been on the perpetrator, she questions why he was not behind bars. Trina and I talk to Seema Banu’s nephew Kashief Ahmed who travelled to Dublin for the inquest into their deaths and to visit their grave  earlier this year. 
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In this episode Trina and Sarah speak with the incredibly brave Anita Byrne, a sexual abuse survivor who waived her anonymity so her attacker could be named. Her uncle, 65 yr-old Paul Farrell, from Breffni Gardens, Baldoyle in Dublin was jailed for 2 years in 2022 after he was convicted of sexually assaulting her in the early 90s starting when she was was just 12 years old, before her grandfather’s funeral. Anita talks about her long road to justice and the stark impact the abuse has had on her relationships as well as her mental and physical health.
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