Outrage as murdered Kilkenny mother’s killer granted day release from prison
THE family of a mother who was brutally stabbed to death in her Kilkenny home has hit out at the decision to let her killer out on day release this weekend.
Christine Quinn (36) was savagely knifed to death in her house in Greenfields in the city in December 2002.
Her killer, Mark Costigan, was 16 at the time. He stabbed the popular young mother 36 times before trying to set fire to the house in an attempt to cover his tracks.
He pleaded not guilty, but was subsequently charged with murder and sentenced to life in prison. But now his victim’s family believe he is being prepared for his release.
Mrs Quinn’s sons Ronan and Jason spoke out after they learned their mother’s killer was granted day release from prison.
The news was conveyed to them via a one-line email from the prison authorities.
Ronan told KilkennyNow.ie: “It’s completely outrageous that, yet again, the victims have been cast aside and everything is weighted in favour of the prisoner. The taxpayer is the one who has to pay for this day out, but the victims get nothing, no support.”
Jason said he is “100% sure” that the convicted killer’s day out is a precursor to his eventual full release from prison – in spite of the ‘life sentence’ that was handed down to him.
“It’s the biggest kick in the teeth, for us and for our mum, that he could be out walking around as a free man younger than my mother was when he murdered her. What kind of a deterrent is that for all the gangland killers and murderers out there? What type of message does that send out?”
Jason said his mother was loved by family, friends and everyone who knew her and that she was murdered in the prime of her life for no reason.
He added: “It seems to us that the whole apparatus of the State is geared in favour of the prisoner. He’ll get a day out that I’ll be paying for as a taxpayer. We are all paying for it.”
