Family tell of their calculating killer is
forensic scientists have only ever recovered a small piece of his intestine from the oil drum in a yard A JEALOUS builder who adjacent to his home. lured his wife’s secret lover Dyfed-powys Police to a remote farm, where were alerted by Mr he shot him dead in a O’leary’s worried family carefully planned execuafter receiving the text tion, has been jailed for at messages. least 30 years. They launched a miss
Andrew Jones, 53, dising person inquiry and covered Michael O’leary, arrested the self-employed 55, was having an affair builder after he admitted with his wife Rhianon, 51, luring his love rival to the and set about planning farm. the ultimate revenge. The shooting was the
After gunning him culmination of a deteriodown in cold blood, Jones rating relationship made the father-of-three’s between the married coudisappearance look like ple as the increasingly suicide and then burned paranoid father-of-three his remains in a rusty oil used his own teenage drum, even holding a daughter to spy on her morbid funeral service for mother, having learnt that his friend of 25 years. the affair was not over.
Jones, of Bronwydd Jones said his friend Road, Carmarthen, had died after the gun, taken denied murder but was from his collection of convicted after a trial at legally-held weapons, Swansea Crown Court. went off during a struggle.
Jailing him for life, Mrs He told the jury he took Justice Jefford said he the “scariest” looking gun would have to serve a from his collection to minimum of 30 years “frighten” Mr O’leary. before he could be consid“I wanted him to get the ered for parole. message – stay away from
“You are 53 years old us,” he said. and whatever minimum “I wanted to shame him, term I impose it is likely ‘You told my daughter you you will spend most if not weren’t going to meet her all of the rest of your natuany more, and here you ral life in custody,” she are’. I wanted to scare him said. and shame him.”
“You still maintain your Cross-examining Jones, account of events and that William Hughes QC, proscan give them little comecuting, said: “You took fort.” considered steps to lure
The court heard Mr him there under false pre“Personally for me the ond chance, neither “On January 30 we were O’leary was murdered on tences that he was going to worst comes at night. It should you, Andrew. told the investigation had the evening of January 27 meet Rhianon and when would be me and dad up “You put us through a changed to murder. We this year after being lured he did get there, far from watching the news. Now it trial that lasted three are devastated. Mike has with the promise of a being a scuffle you is just me. I look across at weeks. Thanks to the been stolen from us; he “cwtch” to Cyncoed Farm described, you in cold his empty chair. police’s hard work, the was the rock of the family. in Cwmffrwd, Carmarblood shot him dead. “You planned this murjury saw through your lies. “Our family has thenshire, to meet Mrs “You carried out a careder and sent us on a wild “To us you will always changed for ever. We are Jones. fully planned – and I used goose chase for two days be remembered as a montrying to bring some of
Instead, he found her the word execute carefully believing dad took his ster and a coward who Mike’s positivity to our ruthless husband – to execute a plan to kill own life. All the while you could not deal with things mother. We cannot allow crouched behind a dustMichael O’leary, nothing were thinking you were as a man.” Andrew Jones to ruin our bin armed with a .22 Colt in mind but to murder clever. Your arrogance and A victim personal statelives. rifle. Jones shot him dead, him.” ego thinking you’ve done ment was read out on “We have had to seek ignoring his pleas for The sentencing hearing a good job of this eventubehalf of Catherine Jones, medical help. None of us mercy after Mr O’leary heard statements from ally caught you out. Mr O’leary’s sister. are sleeping. begged him “Please don’t members of Mr O’leary’s “You have used the It read: “On my wedding “We miss him more do it, Jones”. family. word ‘sad w*****’ and day he gave me away. than words can say. No
He then drove his vicOne of Mr O’leary’s ‘pathetic’ to describe Mike was the oldest boy person has the right to tim’s Nissan Navara to a sons, Wayne O’leary, yourself. Those were the living at home. He suptake another human life. riverside car park, where said: “He was an incredionly words of truth you ported our mother raising Our devastation and sufhe sent messages purportble dad. He worked every said during the case.” me and my brother and fering is something I ing to be from Mr O’leary hour and every weekend “What happened is wanted us to work hard in would not wish on any to his wife and children, when we were growing up unforgivable. The selfish school. We’re a very close other family. saying “I am so sorry x”, so we wouldn’t go withacts of Andrew Jones have family and every February “I hope he does disclose before cycling back to the out. been punishing us on a we’d go to see a different where my brother’s farm. “There is nothing I daily basis. city. Rome was our favourremains are so we can put
Jones used a forklift could have done to stop “We still don’t know him to rest.” ite.“This is something we’ll truck to load Mr O’leary’s this monster sitting in what happened. A statement was also body into his wife’s car front of us. Constant “It is the loss of a largernever be able to experiread out on behalf of and took it home to reminders of him, workers than-life character but he ence again with Mike. another of Mr O’leary’s Carmarthen where he going past with his will always be remem“On the evening on Jansisters, Lesley Rees, who destroyed it. (Andrew Jones) name on bered for what he brought uary 27 Mike’s wife Sian explained how finding out
The site manager’s body the van, and it is an instant to the village. called to say he had not about her brother’s disaphas never been found and dagger to the heart. “Dad will not get a sec- returned home from work. pearance was the “worst