Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

File image of Aaron Brady. Paddy Cummins

Aaron Brady sentenced to minimum of 40 years in prison for the capital murder of Det Garda Adrian Donohoe

Brady was found guilty by a jury in August.

AARON BRADY HAS been sentenced to life in prison for the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.

Under the Criminal Justice Act 1990 the judge was required to state that Brady must serve a minimum term of imprisonment of 40 years.

Mr Justice White also sentenced Brady to 14 years for robbery, a sentence that will run concurrently with the life sentence. 

Brady was found guilty by an 11 to one majority jury verdict on 11 August this year following trial. 

He was sentenced today in the Central Criminal Court. Special arrangements were made to allow gardaí at Dundalk Garda Station and others to watch the proceedings remotely.

Adrian Donohoe was on active duty when he was killed on 25 January 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth.

Brady was last month convicted of involvement in the robbery of €7,000 at the Credit Union on this date.  

Speaking at a sentence hearing for her husband’s murderer, Caroline Donohoe said no words can express the impact on her life, the lives of her children and their family, colleagues and friends who all loved Adrian.

“We had a loving, happy family, but in just 58 senseless seconds everything changed forever,” she told the Central Criminal Court today.

She visited the scene less than an hour after the shooting and identified her husband’s body.

“I will never recover fully from what I had to see,” she said, adding: “My heart breaks every time I pass there and sometimes I can’t get the images out of my mind for hours. Nothing and nobody will ever replace Adrian in our home.”

Detective Garda Donohoe’s parents Hugh and Peggy, in a written statement read by their son Alan, said the murder was “a waste of a good man for such an evil and pointless act”.
They added: “We visit his grave every week, which is some comfort, but it’s no place for him. He should be here with us living his life.”

Garda response

In a statement released after the sentencing, An Garda Síochána said that today “has been another traumatic step” for Adrian Donohoe’s family, friends and Garda colleagues.

“Aaron Brady was just one member of a criminal gang on that day. This criminal investigation remains live as the other members of that gang remain to be brought before the courts; the commitment and tenacity of the investigation team based at Dundalk Garda Station to bring all suspects to justice remains steadfast.”

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said: “My thoughts and those of the Garda Organisation are once again today with Adrian Donohoe’s family. 

“We in An Garda Síochána will continue to support the family, and the friends and colleagues of Adrian. An Garda Síochána’s resolve to bring all the participants in this crime to justice remains firm and the investigation team at Dundalk will continue to be supported by the resources of the wider organisation.”

An Garda Síochána issued an appeal to any person with information about the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe to come forward to detectives with that information. The investigation team can be contacted at Dundalk Garda Station on 042 9388400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.

View 88 comments
Close
88 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul
    Favourite Paul
    Report
    Nov 28th 2013, 11:08 PM

    Ahh such a pity, some anti climax tho

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute joe power
    Favourite joe power
    Report
    Nov 28th 2013, 11:13 PM

    We nearly got killed ya mad man, have you not seen deep impact shocking stuff

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ruairí O'Mahony
    Favourite Ruairí O'Mahony
    Report
    Nov 28th 2013, 11:13 PM

    That’s an impressive trail of debris. it also seems to brighten in the final frame.

    http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5480/11106507235_ec20b425d7_o.gif

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ruairí O'Mahony
    Favourite Ruairí O'Mahony
    Report
    Nov 28th 2013, 11:26 PM

    More recent footage… Looks like at least part of the comet is still on the move…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrqwsA01o5k&feature=youtu.be

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chewey Bacca
    Favourite Chewey Bacca
    Report
    Nov 28th 2013, 11:39 PM

    A minutes applause for comet ISON

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shanti Om
    Favourite Shanti Om
    Report
    Nov 28th 2013, 11:50 PM

    More like a minutes silence :(

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciaran Cahill
    Favourite Ciaran Cahill
    Report
    Nov 28th 2013, 11:12 PM

    The best result, for me, would be a break-up on its trajectory towards the Sun as we would get much more data that way. A survive & pass around the Sun would yield much less for spectroscopy.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul
    Favourite Paul
    Report
    Nov 29th 2013, 7:32 AM

    You realise that nobody is gonna know what spectroscopy is

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute O' Loughlin Ronan
    Favourite O' Loughlin Ronan
    Report
    Nov 29th 2013, 8:06 AM

    @paul, I wouldnt say nobody!

    6
    See 4 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Carcu Sidub
    Favourite Carcu Sidub
    Report
    Nov 29th 2013, 9:06 AM

    Paul

    You should have said

    You realise no normal person is gonna know what spectroscopy is

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute O' Loughlin Ronan
    Favourite O' Loughlin Ronan
    Report
    Nov 29th 2013, 9:50 AM

    Oh wait got a red thumb, that must be the dumb ass that doesnt know!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute O' Loughlin Ronan
    Favourite O' Loughlin Ronan
    Report
    Nov 29th 2013, 11:09 AM

    And again!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Matthew Malloy
    Favourite Matthew Malloy
    Report
    Nov 30th 2013, 2:13 AM

    You must be much more cleverer than the rest of us!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Homo Erectus
    Favourite Homo Erectus
    Report
    Nov 29th 2013, 9:09 AM

    Sun-grazing comet likely to have broken up: “it’s not you, it’s me…”

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Buckley
    Favourite Sean Buckley
    Report
    Nov 29th 2013, 9:16 AM

    It’s alive a fragment has survived. In the words of Fr.Jack Hackett ” I love my brick”

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Donagher
    Favourite John Donagher
    Report
    Nov 28th 2013, 11:09 PM

    :(

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Richard Curtin
    Favourite Richard Curtin
    Report
    Nov 29th 2013, 12:32 AM
    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael
    Favourite Michael
    Report
    Nov 29th 2013, 12:12 AM

    Does that mean it contains regular water or heavy water? anyone know

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joseph Siddall
    Favourite Joseph Siddall
    Report
    Nov 29th 2013, 3:37 AM

    Water is weightless in space.
    Sorry. Hat, coat, door.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen Harmon
    Favourite Stephen Harmon
    Report
    Nov 29th 2013, 10:09 AM

    Nothing is weightless in space, there is gravity everywhere in space. That’s what keeps the moon orbiting the earth and the earth orbiting the sun.

    3
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      News in 60 seconds