Donnan has suspended sentence activated
A Limerick man who was given a suspended life sentence for killing his mother has had his sentence activated by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court.
Damien Donnan (aged 26) strangled his mother at the family home in De Valera Park, Thomondgate on April 17 2000 in a row over a cigarette.
He was found guilty of manslaughter in 2002 but his sentencing was adjourned more than 20 times until Mr Justice Carney handed down a suspended life sentence in July last year.
Ms Carol Gleeson, a senior probation officer in Limerick told Mr Justice Carney that since sentence was passed on July 14, Donnan had been supposed to attend meetings with the probation service two or three times a week but had missed several meetings.
She said Donnan was supposed to take intravenous anti-psychotic medication weekly but in her estimation the last time he had taken it was in April.
She said Donnan's father had told the probation service that his son was coming home at night "very much the worse for wear" and there had been a number of violent incidents.
Ms Margaret Griffin, also a senior probation officer in the Limerick office, told Mr Justice Carney that concerns were raised after complaints from Donnan's father, who told the probation service that the situation at home had reached a stage where it was becoming intolerable for both him and other members of the family.
She said that on several occasions Donnan had turned up to meetings with the probation service smelling of drink and had been found on the streets several times sleeping off the effects of drink and drugs.
Urine analysis for Donnan had some back positive for alcohol and on several occasions for heroin as well.
Mr Justice Carney said that in this case, if the accused had pleaded guilty of manslaughter he would have been released by now. But he said the object of the suspended life sentence had been for the court to always keep an eye on him.
He said he had been so careful to observe the special considerations in this case that Donnan had been before him 37 times while a suitable programme was designed.
He said he had been open to newspaper headlines like "Judge remands mum killer for the 26th time". But he said he had no option but to activate the suspended sentence but would backdate it to the date of arrest in 2000 to enable the probation service and Court of Criminal Appeal to take over the matter.
