Dean Fitzpatrick was ‘far too young to die’, says father as David Mahon is sentenced for his killing

The father of stab victim Dean Fitzpatrick and missing teenager Amy Fitzpatrick has said that his other son and Dean's son are what is keeping him going.

The family also said they have renewed hope of finding Amy, after new information coming to light in a much older missing person case.

Christopher Fitzpatrick was speaking after David Mahon was sentenced to seven years in prison for killing Dean.

“I just thought it would be a longer sentence than what he got,” he said.

“He was a nice young man. He was only growing up. He was a young man when he died, far too young to die.”

He said that things had been very hard, but that having the court case behind them would help with the grieving.

Mahon, who married Christopher Fitzpatrick’s ex-wife Audrey last year, had apologised in court through his counsel.

“I wouldn’t accept his apology under any circumstances,” Mr Fitzpatrick said, adding that everybody was aware of what he had done.

He also said that Mahon was not his son’s stepfather.

“He wasn’t even married at the time. It’s just what he called himself. That’s it.”

His sister - Dean’s aunt - Christine Kenny also spoke to the media after the sentence. She said the family was relieved that the process was over.

“It has been a long road to get here. Today has given us some closure,” she said.

However, she said the family was still searching for Amy and would now renew its efforts to find out what happened to her.

Referring to the Philip Cairns case, in which a woman has come forward with information 30 years after he went missing, Ms Kenny said: “We have some hope now for Amy, with this other case, this person coming forward over this young lad.

“We hope that people will come across now and give the information that’s needed as regards Amy. She needs to be found and we still have that road ahead of us to keep fighting for her.”

She said Dean’s killing had affected the family terribly.

“Dean’s death has been a huge loss to our lives and we will never forgive the man who killed Dean. He has put us through hell and back.”

She said it was affecting Dean’s toddler son badly too.

“He’s looking for his Daddy. Sarah brings him up to the grave on a regular basis,” she added. “It’s sad looking at a little boy, that there’s no Daddy there to see him going to school. He’ll be starting school this year and he’s graduating next week from playschool. He misses his Daddy.”

She also expressed disappointment at the length of the sentence. Asked what she thought it should have been, she replied: “Life for a life. I know that sounds bad but that’s how I feel about it. He was a young man of 24. He had a little boy. He had a partner. He had a father.”

She thanked family friends, Coolock Garda Station, the State’s legal team and the victim support group at the Central Criminal Court, where the murder trial took place.