Murder victim’s family fear killer is set to be free
Evil Donovan ‘on verge of release’ after being moved to open prison
THE family of a woman murdered by her ex-boyfriend 16 years ago fear her killer may be on the verge of release after he was transferred to an open prison.
Raymond Donovan strangled Ann Walsh to death in the grounds of St Senan’s church in Kilrush, Co Clare, on August 24, 2005.
The 23-year-old had been going out with the evil killer for three years, but had split from him a year before the attack.
Donovan, from Cooraclare, received the mandatory life sentence for murder in June 2006.
But Ann’s family say they have now learned he has been transferred to Shelton Abbey open prison.
They believe this is a step towards his eventual release.
Ann’s brother Stephen said Donovan should remain behind bars.
He added: “Life should mean life. He’s in an open prison now, the next step is out the door, and they are not telling us anything. It’s killing my mother, it’s killing my father, it’s killing us all.
“He’s only done 16 years since August 24 and he can get out and continue on with his life whereas my sister, she’s gone. We don’t know when he is due out, they are not giving us a straight answer.
“His home place is only eight miles away from us, he shouldn’t be allowed to go there, we don’t want to run into him. I think 16 years isn’t enough for him.”
The family fear Donovan could be out by Christmas. Stephen added: “He didn’t just destroy one life, he destroyed all our lives.
“Imagine hearing at Christmas time he is getting out and there he is sitting down with his family and Ann’s not here with us. We’re trying to fight her corner.”
Stephen, who was just 16 when his sister was murdered, told how his father is “broken” over the tragic loss.
He added: “His days are spent just going back over to her grave. The feeling is as raw as it was in 2005.”
Stephen described his sister as “bubbly and full of life” and said she dreamed of becoming a hairdresser.
He added: “She was innocent, very quiet and had brains in school. There was never a bit of trouble [with her].”