Victim’s family welcome result but still consider his killer a ‘very lucky man’

THE niece of slain Ballyduff farmer Anthony O’Mahony said his family is ‘happy’ his killer Michael Ferris is facing four more years in prison for the manslaughter of his neighbour.

But Ann O’Carroll told The Kerryman on Tuesday that the family still consider Ferris a ‘very lucky man’.

“We are happy the sentence was increased but we still consider Michael Ferris to be a very lucky man having escaped a life sentence,” Ms O’Carroll said.

“At the end of the day his family can still visit him in prison and talk to him on the end of a phone, but we have nothing.”

She said the pain is still raw for the family, who are now anxiously anticipating the inquest into their beloved uncle’s death next year.

“It still hurts, we’re all living around the area, you’re passing the scene most days and there’s nothing there to indicate that anyone died in such a way there. When people die in accidents you would see plaques all around the place. It is hard,” Ms O’Carroll said.

“There’s no sense of closure at present as there is always something else in terms of court dates. We are glad with [the appeal result] but maybe when the inquest is over there will be some sort of closure. The pain is still there.”

Ms O’Carroll took issue with statements about Michael Ferris’s remorse, saying that no apology was offered the family until the original sentencing hearing and only then through Ferris’ legal team.

“The apology was through his legal team and he didn’t open his mouth the whole way through the trial. Margot Bolster spent over an hour going over my uncle’s injuries and I saw no reaction from him [Ferris], absolutely nothing.”

Ms O’Carroll has also questioned the right of the defendant not to take the stand in such cases

“I don’t think it fair that the accused can sit through the whole thing without having to give evidence...my own mother was put on the stand and put in a desperate position. We are a quiet family and to have been thrown into this with no idea as to what was coming next was very difficult.”

The examination of her uncle’s character in the trial remains a massive source of pain for the family to this day. “There were comments about my uncle that will stay with us for the rest of our days,” Ms O’Carroll added.

Photo by Laura Hutton/Collins Anthony O’Mahony’s niece Ann O’Carroll speaking to media on the steps of the Central Criminal Court at the original sentencing almost a year to the day prior to Monday’s appeal.