Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CONCEPTA LIVED IN FEAR OF CRAZED EX
Mum had house guarded at night to protect her & son
MURDERED Concepta Leonard feared for her life after her ex-boyfriend became obsessed with her.
The mum, 51, ensured that she and her disabled son Conor were guarded at night in their Co Fermanagh home. Concepta was due in court yesterday over a barring order against killer Peadar Phair, 55. A friend said: “She was terrified. He couldn’t have her so he made sure no one else would.”
MURDERED Concepta Leonard had a minder stay in her home at night as she waited to appear in court to face the man who terrified her.
But killer Peadar Phair did not come at night. He came in the middle of the day with a plan to end her life just as he had threatened to do so many times before. So she never got the chance to reach the court and was murdered less than 24 hours before a judge in a Family Court in Enniskillen could protect her. Phair, 55, approached his former girlfriend on Monday afternoon, emerging out of the rain at Concepta’s family home in Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh. And in that carefully chosen moment she was alone except for her devoted son Conor, who has Down’s Syndrome and still doesn’t know his mum is dead. There was no minder, no one to step in to protect her, to save her, no one to stop his brutality before it turned fatal. A friend of Concepta said: “She had been very afraid of Peadar Phair. “He was known in the town but he wasn’t really close to anyone, he was a bit of a loner, an odd ball. “Concepta had not had much luck in relationships and somehow he’d managed to wangle his way in there and charm her. “But then psychopaths can be charming and despite being a bright and vibrant woman, Concepta fell for it. “The attention was nice for a while but then it got too much and he seemed to reveal his real character. He was a very different man especially while he was drinking – and he drank a lot. “She brought their relationship to an end but he just wouldn’t accept it. He kept turning up and begging her, then threatening her. “He said he couldn’t live without her and wouldn’t leave her. In the end she was terrified and she ensured she was never alone in the house at night. “She felt she needed protection from him. But Phair knew Concepta would be at home with Conor and they would be vulnerable. He’d been seen in Lisnaskea earlier in the day and was drunk and then he vanished. “But it turns out he went straight to her home and now she is dead and poor Conor is left without his mum.” Phair, 55, repeatedly stabbed the former restaurant owner in a vicious attack on Monday afternoon. “He left Conor seriously injured with knife wounds as he bravely fought to save his devoted mum.” And then Phair turned his attention to his own life and tried to kill himself by hanging before being found by the police who carried out CPR on the killer. A family friend said: “Connie had taken out a restraining order against Phair. It was a non-molestation order and it was intended to keep her safe but he breached it over and over again. “In end she had to take action and they were due in court this morning but she never made it, God rest her. “She was due in court today. She might
The shock is terribly deep. We can’t believe we won’t see her again ALMA KINNEAR LISNASKEA YESTERDAY
have been safe. Now we will never know. “Conor and Concepta were devoted to each other and I have been told that once it got difficult at the house, Conor tried to fight Peadar Phair off his mum. “I was told he fought hard and he was seriously injured in the whole thing. He would have died for his mum. “Conor knows something bad has happened but it has been decided that he will not be told that his mummy is gone yet. “He will be told when he is a bit physically stronger. He will never get over this. Where he was, Concepta was. “They were always seen together, devoted and loving and they always seemed so happy with each other. But it is all ruined now.” The market town of Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, continued its routine yesterday but the atmosphere was heavy with grief and silent with shock. Conversations about the murdersuicide were whispered in the very place Concepta and Conor visited every week, the Kissin’ Crust cafe. Owner Alma Kinnear said: “The sense of shock is terribly deep and we just cannot believe that we’ll not see Concepta again. “She came in here every week with Conor and we always enjoyed their visits because Conor has such a cheerful and bubbly personality, he always left us feeling good. He loved to get his photos taken with the girls and he enjoyed his last birthday in here. “I never saw such a devoted pair. Our community is in terrible shock but we will rally around him in every way we can. “We will wait to hear what he needs in time and everyone will help. “We are so confused how this could have happened because Concepta had gone for help, she had told all the right people she felt she was in danger and yet when it came to it, there was no one able to help her. “We are just devastated. Women should not live their lives in fear and that’s what had happened here and sadly help came too late.” Brookeborough parish priest Lawrence Dawson made an impassioned plea to his congregation at Mass yesterday. He said: “We are shocked and upset and frightened, frightened by what has happened here, we have fear for everyone. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the dead, wounded and the bereaved. The sense of shock and sadness in the congregation is palpable.” Father Dawson was able to give Concepta the last rites just before midnight on Monday. A friend told the Mirror: “He was called to the house. “He was able to attend the deceased and we are very grateful for that, it will be our only comfort.”