The family of a young expectant father have spoken of their sense of loss and grief after he was stabbed to death in a North Cork town by another young man who has been sentenced to life imprisonment for his murder.
The family of 24-year-old Conor Quinn from Loughrea in Co Galway said that they were devastated by his death at the hands of then 21-year-old Tyler “Tiggy” Jackson from Ballydaheen in Mallow in Co Cork who was last week convicted of Quinn’s murder following a trial lasting over a week.
Jackson had denied the murder of Mr Quinn on Bridge Street in Mallow on July 12th, 2018, when he was arraigned on the charge at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork but the jury of eight men and four women took just under seven hours last week to convict him by a 10-2 majority.
On Tuesday, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon extended her deepest sympathy to Quinn’s family as she imposed the mandatory life sentence on Jackson, whom his counsel, Brian McInerney, informed the court, intends to appeal the guilty verdict as he does not accept it.
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Jackson’s sentence, backdated to November 4th, 2022, when he was first taken into custody on the charge, came after Mr Quinn’s aunt, Jennifer Smith read out a victim impact on behalf of Quinn’s family including his mother, Teresa, father, Paul, siblings, Anthony and Sinead and partner, Stephanie.
Describing Quinn as “a wonderful person with a great sense of humour” who filled their lives with “fun and joy always”, Ms Smith said her nephew was “honest, loyal and had a great sense of empathy” as she chronicled the impact that Jackson’s crime had on the entire family.
“Conor’s death has left an endless void in our lives and in the lives of all who knew him – this void has rippled across many families, extended families and generations,” said Ms Smith as she told how Quinn was ecstatic at the prospect of becoming a father with his son born ten days after he died.
Speaking on behalf of Quinn’s mother, Teresa, Ms Smith said that her son’s death was particularly difficult to accept and was deeply painful especially when her grandson, Conor Jnr, asks what happened to the father he never knew but whom after he was named.
“I’m very fortunate to have beautiful grandchildren who bring me so much love and healing on the darkest days, but it will ache me for eternity when my little grandson, often asks me – ‘Nanny, I wish my Daddy was here to play with me and give me a cuddle, why did he have to go to Heaven?’ ”
She said no one should ever have to face their grandchild asking what happened to their father and certainly no one should have to answer it the way that the Quinn family will have to do someday as they grapple with “a grief that I never want my grandchildren ever to endure.”
Ms Smith said the manner in which her nephew’s life was taken from them was one that “shocks the conscience” with the premeditated nature of the crime only adding to the family’s anguish, as again, speaking on behalf of Quinn’s mother, she told of the constant reminders of what happened.
“I often look at Conor’s belongings from time to time,” she said, quoting Ms Quinn, “and recently I came across his passport which is still in date. I’m reminded of how Conor’s life was cut short, how his passport is still in date, but his life has expired because another person decided to end his life.”
Insp Hugh Twomey had earlier told the sentencing hearing how gardaí quickly identified Jackson as the man who stabbed Quinn but he fled to the UK and gardaí had to obtain a European Arrest Warrant to have him extradited back to Ireland where he was charged with the murder of Quinn.
Ms Smith said the delay in obtaining justice for Quinn compounded the pain that the family were experiencing as result of the fact that the killing took place “in broad daylight in a public setting” where Jackson showed a “complete disregard for human life.”
“The prolonged agony and uncertainty inflicted upon us was further compounded by the defendant’s decision to flee the scene, and taking nearly five years to get justice only deepened our pain and suffering,” said Ms Smith.
“The defendant’s deliberate choice to flee the scene demonstrates a complete disregard for the consequences of his action and a blatant disregard for the grief and suffering endured by Conor’s loved ones.”
“We will forever hold Conor in our hearts and cherish all the beautiful memories we shared with him and the dreams he had for his future and though justice has been served, the pain of his massive loss will always be part of us.
“July 12th, 2018, will forever feel like a bad nightmare, a nightmare that we will never awake from,” said Ms Smith as she thanked all those helped her nephew on the night he died.
