Friday, January 27, 2006
O'Donoghue won't attend Holohan inquest - why not?
The student convicted of killing Co Cork schoolboy Robert Holohan last January will reportedly refuse to attend the inquest into the 11-year-old's death.Reports this morning said Wayne O'Donoghue (pictured left) would not attempt to use the inquest to reject allegations of a sexual link between himself and his victim.
The 21-year-old's solicitor is quoted as saying that he will not attend the inquest even if summoned to do so by the coroner.
O'Donoghue was said to be "deeply upset" by suggestions that he had a sexual relationship with Robert, which were made by the youngster's mother at the student's sentencing hearing earlier this week.
Isn't that a bit baffling? Why won't he attend the inquest - even if he is summoned by the coroner?
If you were accused of something that you didn't do, wouldn't you be eager to fight the accusation tooth and nail?
O'Donoghue's motives certainly are questionable. Not just on this matter.
I think it was Mrs Holohan who made this point before, that if Robert's death was an accident, why didn't he call for help at the time?
Wouldn't that be the typical response? If you were in his shoes (God forbid), would you dump the body, actively take part in the search - when you know where the body is - and then criticise the Garda's response to the search?
You might try and excuse these actions by saying that he wasn't thinking and that he panicked.
I'll respond to that point through Judge Carney's own words:
"It cannot be dismissed as being due to panic by reason of the calculation and deliberation involved."
On Tuesday, Wayne O'Donoghue was sentenced to just four years in prison for the manslaughter of Robert Holohan. He is unlikely to have to serve the full term.
Mr O'Donoghue's actions certainly raise alot of questions.
And this country, especially the family of Robert Holohan, deserve answers to them.
# posted by United Irelander @ 10:16 AM 
© 2008 United Irelander.
