Donohoe family insist ‘quest for justice for Adrian will continue’
AARON BRADY showed no emotion when the guilty verdict was read out to him in court 19 of the Criminal Courts of Justice.
But for the family of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe it was like a pressure valve releasing when, after the strain of six and a half years, their tears flowed freely.
Supporting each other, and with the solid support of investigators and senior garda management, they took time to compose themselves and allow the news to sink in after a gruelling trial.
Then, in unity, they selflessly thanked everyone who had done the job of securing a conviction of capital murder for Brady, before stating that the quest to bring the rest of the raiders who were with Brady on the night of January 25, 2013, at Lordship credit union before the courts will continue.
The quest for justice for Adrian does not end with the conviction of Aaron Brady.
Caroline Donohoe, Adrian’s wife, thanked the jury for sticking with the trial for so long, and her garda colleagues and the prosecution team, on behalf of herself and their children Amy and Niall.
Then Adrian’s brother Colm, himself a detective garda, stood square in front of the nation’s media flanked by his brother, Martin, and sister, Mary.
He thanked the prosecution team, the judge, the staff in the DPP’s office, and the jury of 15 ordinary people who were sworn-in at the end of January.
“Their lives have been put on hold for the last six months and the commitment they have shown through these challenging times has been humbling,” he said.
“We would like to acknowledge each and every witness who gave evidence for the prosecution of this case. It is not an easy thing to come to court and we do not underestimate the stress that this causes people.
“We would like to express immense gratitude to Adrian’s colleagues in Dundalk who investigated this while trying to grieve for the loss of a colleague. This has been one of the most comprehensive investigations in the history of the State. The professionalism and the quality of this investigation has been borne out by the fact that it has been able to withstand the most robust and forensic examination by the defence in this case. It is a huge credit to each and every person involved in the investigation that we stand here today,” Colm added.
The investigation into the robbery and the murder of Det Gda Donohoe was a trans-Atlantic one because
Brady had fled to the US after the killing, and Colm Donohoe acknowledged the “extraordinary help given to the investigation by lawenforcement agencies around the world”.
At this point in his statement on behalf of the family, Colm Donohoe paused, steeled himself, and with a strong voice said: “Aaron Brady was not alone in Lordship on the 25th of January, 2013.”
“The quest for justice for Adrian will continue and we appeal to anyone, near or far, who has any information and who may assist in this investigation, to come forward and do the right thing to bring those involved to justice,” he added.
“While justice has been done today, nothing will bring back Adrian to his wife, his two kids, his parents, his family, his colleagues and his friends,” said Colm.
“As has been said at this trial Adrian was a good man and the very least he deserves is that justice be served,” he said.