Life for Joanne's killer
A Tipperary man who murdered his girlfriend in a frenzied, double-knife attack after a cocktail of alcohol, cannabis and Valium has been jailed for life.
Kevin Prendergast, 31, who was "sorry he had not killed himself instead" said he would pray for Joanne Mangan - the 20-year-old he murdered near the village of Grange, Co Tipperary on October 16 2007.
Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment on Prendergast of Knockeen, Grange, after he pleaded guilty to murder.
A concurrent term of 15 years was imposed on him for assault causing serious harm to Joanne’s brother, Edmund Mangan, a crime which the defendant also admitted.
Sergeant Padraic Walsh said Prendergast and Ms Mangan had returned from a holiday in Spain a week previously and had brought back rum, vodka and absinthe – a highly potent spirit.
During October 16 2007, Sgt Walsh said these drinks were consumed by a number of parties and some of them also had cannabis and Valium.
The sergeant said the couple had a volatile relationship over a period of the previous 18 months and that Prendergast was very possessive and jealous.
In a frenzied attack with a knife in each hand he stabbed her repeatedly in both sides of her body inflicting multiple life-threatening wounds to her lungs, liver and stomach – 14 stab wounds in total.
He went into the house where he inflicted nine stab wounds on Edmund Mangan leaving him scarred for life from injuries that would have killed him but for major surgical treatment.
Afterwards, Prendergast said he didn’t think he was capable of anything like that. Defence senior counsel Brendan Nix said: "My client is heartily sorry for what he did. He still feels that this is a nightmare, that he will wake up from this nightmare he is going through. He cannot believe that such terrible violence could come out of him. He is in a prison of his own making."
Prendergast pleaded not guilty to murdering Joanne Mangan and assaulting Edmund Mangan when he appeared at the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday and a jury was sworn in to hear the case.
The trial was adjourned to commence on Wednesday when he then pleaded guilty to murder. It was further adjourned to yesterday when he pleaded to the assault charge.
Before the relationship started, Prendergast had served time for arson and assaults.
