A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murders of two gay men in Sligo last year.
Yousef Palani, of Markievicz Heights in Sligo also received a 20-year sentence for assaulting a third man, who lost the sight of one eye as a result of the attack.
The families of victims Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee told the Central Criminal court of the devastation and horror they have endured since Palani murdered their loved ones in separate attacks on the 10 and 12 April, 2022.
In court, harrowing details were revealed about how the bodies of the two men were discovered by relatives and friends who had become concerned after another man Anthony Burke was blinded in one eye when stabbed by Palani just a day before.
The court heard that Palani had used a dating app to meet gay men who lived alone with the intention of killing them.
He told gardaí he would have continued to kill if he had not been stopped.
Prosecuting counsel Lorcan Staines said the attacks were motivated by hostility and prejudice towards homosexual men.
Mr Staines said gardaí did not believe Palani was radicalised and said they specifically wanted to acknowledge the cooperation and support they received from the Islamic Community in Sligo.
Judge Mary Ellen Ring said the case was about real people and their families and, while the right to privacy goes on a person's death, the right to respect does not.
She said that she was not going to repeat the "unspeakable violence visited on three innocent men" and said she too shared the concern as to what will flow from the case and the potential headlines.
"This is not about headlines it is about real people and their families. The right to privacy may go on one's death but the right to respect never does," she said.
The judge said that "the month of June is called Pride month and each of these were proud of what they were to them and all who knew them and that is how it should be".
She added: "I asked to see photographs of Aidan and Michael because I wanted a picture of them in terms other than what I heard today, I needed to see beyond the death and the destruction. The loss of a loved one is a never ending loss the loss of one's sight is a never ending loss."
While the families would never forget April 2022 nor should they, she said, they will in time remember more than those hours.
She wished the Moffitt and Snee families "some peace into the future" and wished Mr Burke all the best.
She sentenced Yousef Palani to the mandatory life sentence for both murders and imposed a 20-year sentence for the assault on Anthony Burke.
Defence Counsel Michael Bowman told the court he was instructed to offer an apology from Yousef Palani who "struggles to comprehend the enormity of what he has done and he recognises the pain and loss he has inflicted on the deceased and their family and friends".
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Attacks 'repulsed the nation'
Sligo Superintendent Barry Doyle said the murders of Mr Snee and Mr Moffitt "did not just impact the heart of the community in Sligo, they also repulsed the nation".
Speaking outside Sligo Garda Station this afternoon, Superintendent Doyle said his thoughts and the thoughts and sympathies of the members of An Garda Síochána remain with both families at this time.
"Michael and Aidan were well known and respected here in the community in Sligo. They were innocent men. They did no wrong. They were assaulted and murdered in their own homes," he said.
Superintendent Doyle also acknowledged "the bravery and resilience" shown by Mr Burke as he recovers from the serious injuries inflicted on him".
"Anthony too is well known in this community. He too is innocent. He did no wrong. He was attacked without any provocation on his behalf," he added.
Superintendent Doyle said the crimes had heavily impacted on the LGBTQI community and the Muslim community. He said gardaí continue to support both the LGBTQI and Muslim communities in Sligo.
"The response from the people of Sligo at the time has continued and it is heartening to see such cross community support" he said.
Gardaí said today that they want to appeal to any one who may have been or who is subject of any form of hate motivated crime or harassment to contact their local garda station or the garda confidential phone number 1800 666 111.
'A coward and a monster'
In his victim impact statement, Mr Burke said he had spent 49 years repressing his sexuality until he had no choice, and it became public knowledge after he was attacked largely due to his sexuality. This had placed a huge strain on him, and his family and friends, and he found himself isolating himself more.
He said on the night of the attack, he thought he was meeting someone to have an intimate moment and did not realise he was going to meet "a coward and a monster who was going to destroy my life".
He had feelings of sadness, guilt and shame and the location of the attack meant he had to walk the route every day and remember the event, he said. He said he remembered seeing Palani watch him that night after stabbing him in the eye to see if he would collapse.
A victim impact report read to the court by gardaí on behalf of the Moffitt family described their shock and distress upon learning about how he had been brutally murdered and having to come to terms with the horror of how he died. They had to live with media intrusion and their lives had become a "living nightmare".
"All we are left with is questions. Why did you pick Anthony? Why was he second on your list? Why did you murder him? Why?" the statement concluded.
A victim impact statement read on behalf of Mr Snee's nephew described him as like a father to him and said how he missed him and was horrified that someone "had so much hate in them that they would do this".
Another from Mr Snee's niece Shannon McManus described him as "an amazing human being in many ways".
"He was so loving, so soft, so gentle and most of all so harmless" she said, adding that had flashbacks and nightmares after finding his body.
His sister Martina McManus said her brother's life was "taken in the cruelest way imaginable" two days after his 50th birthday. She said her family's hearts were broken and their grief immeasurable.
World 'turned upside down'
A second statement for the Moffitt family read by friend Blaine Gaffney said their world had been "turned upside down" at his loss. Aidan Moffitt was described as a "charismatic character" who had a smile that lit up the world.
They said he will be remembered for his charm and story telling abilities, a dedicated professional and financial brain and a shrewd political activist who had a love of his country and community and fellow citizens.
"He was the best son he could be and cared for his mother in every way and was prepared to continue that care as she got older," the statement read.
It continued that the family was "utterly devastated, lost in grief and will be heart broken and empty forever.
The family said he was taken in his prime and they miss him every hour, adding: "The silence is harrowing because he will never come through our door again and light up our world."
They said Mr Moffitt never wanted any trouble and had a gentle nature and they were forced to say goodbye to him because of the irrational personal beliefs of the accused.
"The emotional and psychological impact of his murder cannot be understood," the statement continued adding that no sense could be made of the callous, senseless act.
"We start most days with tears in our eyes," the statement read adding "grief will always be with us but he normal grieving process does not apply because of the nature of this."
The family also said it found itself in a world of publicity and continue to "suffer at the hands of the media who were often more concerned about Aidan and Michael and their homes than the perpetrator."
They said the sheer scale of the publicity had been grueling and many members of the media had been intrusive and overstepped the mark.
The wording and captions had left a lot to be desired, they said adding that they were calling for a moratorium on reporting of murders to be introduced to allow some respect and dignity to families and give them time to tell loved ones before they had to read it in the media.
They also called for respectful and dignified reporting and for privacy after today.
Burke 'wary' of Palani
Mr Burke told gardaí he had met Palani through a dating app and he had been at his house the previous day but he was "wary of him" and did not allow him to stay overnight.
He said Palani contacted him the following day and they arranged to meet that evening.
Palani came to his house and was "obsessed" with tying him up and produced a rope and black laces from his pocket but he would not allow him to do it.
Mr Burke said he gave the man oral sex but would not allow him to have sex with him. Mr Burke became uncomfortable with him and wanted him out of the house.
He decided to walk with him towards the cemetery to try to get him away from his house but when he turned to go home he was hit from behind and "saw stars".
Palani left the scene on his bike. The court heard Mr Burke had been stabbed in the eye and has lost he sight in that eye.
Moffitt discovered by friends
Mr Staines said the second victim Aidan Moffitt was discovered by two friends who had become concerned when they could not contact him.
They went to his home on 11 April 2022 and discovered his body. He had been decapitated and his head placed on the bed while his body was on the floor with his hands tied behind his back and a knife had been placed in his hand.
Mr Staines said he had 94 sharp injuries including 43 stab wounds.
CCTV showed a man entering his home earlier that day and leaving in just under an hour.
Gardaí were investigating both crimes when a second body was found.
Concern for Snee after warning
Michael Snee, a 58-year-old hospital porter and carer, was discovered by his nieces who were concerned after a warning was issued to those using dating apps in the area.
The court was told his nieces got a strong smell of bleach after entering his home and could see the area was soaked with bleach and blood.
Mr Snee had also been tied up and stabbed multiple times to his head, chest and neck.
The first victim Anthony Burke could see on his own social media apps that the suspect was still active on the app and was within 500m of his location.
After giving details to gardaí, Palani was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Additional reporting: Sinéad Hussey
