When WhatsApp groups go horribly wrong in Andrea Mara's brilliant thriller It Should Have Been You
'Ten days, four deaths, one teenager in hospital, one in police custody, my family destroyed. And all because of a text.' This is the shocking introduction to Irish crime author Andrea Mara's new thriller.
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Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Children are being re-traumatised as abusers weaponise the courts system
Groundbreaking research published last week into the Irish family law system undertaken by Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork, and commissioned by Women's Aid, makes for stark and sobering reading. The findings of this 360-degree examination of the experiences of adult and child victim-survivors of domestic violence and abuse in guardianship, custody and access proceedings show court processes are re-traumatising those who have already suffered. However daunting as the findings are, this research offers us a clear strategic opportunity to do better. The voices of victim-survivors of domestic violence and abuse — women, men, and children — are strongly telling us what needs to change. This research comes at a key time for family justice in Ireland, with progress on many of the key deliverables of the national Family Justice Strategy already under way. We can transform a system that is not currently domestic violence and abuse informed or responsive, into one that understands how domestic abuse is impacting many court users, is trauma-informed, victim-survivor-centred, and truly hears the voices and wishes of children. Sarah Benson: 'The children and young people who contributed to this research had engaged with a variety of professionals, including court assessors, social workers, judges and members of An Garda Síochána, but said they felt their experiences were discounted and disbelieved, and their wishes ignored.' This research is unique in Ireland, but its findings strongly echo what is already known from similar international research. It draws from court observations, hundreds of survey responses, wide ranging interviews and focus groups with children, aged-out minors, adults, domestic violence practitioners, health, social care and legal professionals and judges, and the final report provides an in-depth perspective of the barriers facing victim-survivors of abuse in our family law system. It captures hundreds of reports of physical, emotional, economic and sexual abuse of women, men and children. It tells us that sadly it is not enough for some key individuals among legal, judicial and courts personnel to be domestic abuse (including coercive control) informed, which victim-survivors reported as being "transformational" for them in terms of feeling believed, supported and empowered to manage their safety and that of their children. Pockets of individual good practice are revealed as completely inadequate when the system itself is not attuned and responsive to the tactics and impacts of domestic abuse post-separation. Participants in the research spoke of having to adhere to court-ordered access to avoid being charged with violating a court order, requiring them to regularly engage with their abuser. This frequently provided court-sanctioned opportunities for further abuse to occur. Children in Ireland have the constitutional right to have their views heard and considered, particularly in legal proceedings involving their safety, welfare, or wellbeing. However, this research tells us very clearly this is not happening in the Irish family law system. There remains an issue whereby living in a home where there is domestic abuse is still not sufficiently recognised as abuse of children themselves, despite this being a clear position of the WHO and Tusla policy. In court proceedings that impact children's lives, the risks of post-separation abuse, including coercive control, are therefore not considered adequately. The children and young people who contributed to this research had engaged with a variety of professionals, including court assessors, social workers, judges and members of An Garda Síochána, but said they felt their experiences were discounted and disbelieved, and their wishes ignored. Examples given include children disclosing experiences of assault by their abusive parent, and that information being ignored or disputed in court. While the children told the researchers they could not have been clearer that they did not want to spend any time with an abusive parent and gave a good rationale and evidence for that assertion, they described not feeling heard or taken seriously by professionals when contact was continued or extended. Always having contact with both parents as in a child's best interest should not be the starting point in considering matters of custody and access where there are allegations of abuse. It may be, but it also may not, so a neutral starting point as to this question is appropriate. There is also a clear pattern reported, particularly where there are court reports being produced to give "voice" to the child, that in the absence of meaningful consideration of domestic violence and abuse, the highly contested concept of "parental alienation" is being presented as the only possible reason mothers and children are resistant to contact and access. At the launch of research into the Irish family law system were: Ruth Elliffe, TCD; Stephanie Holt, TCD; Davina James-Hanman, Violence Against Women consultant; Sarah Benson, Women's Aid chief executive; Soma Gregory, TCD; Aisling Parkes, UCC; and Ailbhe Smyth, chair of Women's Aid. Picture: Paul Sharp/Sharpix In telling us how the system failed them, the victims-survivors that took part in this research have also shown us exactly what change should and can look like. The family law system is neither simple nor straightforward. It is a complex and evolving network, composed of laws, courts, judges, legal professionals, services, and, crucially, the lived experiences of families. These components do not function in isolation but interact in ways that are often unpredictable and dynamic. The outcomes for individuals seeking support are shaped by the whole system, rather than by any single decision, law, or individual actor. To truly improve the family law system, we must move beyond focusing on its individual parts and instead examine how all these elements are interconnected and influence each other. Women's Aid urges the Government to fundamentally reform the family law system as part of the new Family Justice Strategy in a consciously domestic violence- and abuse-informed manner. We need compulsory domestic abuse training for all professionals, including judges. We need comprehensive screening and risk assessment protocols and practices across all proceedings, radical reform of the 'expert reports' system, and improved access to legal representation. We need the development of clear mechanisms to improve coordination, communication, and cooperation across all civil family law proceedings and with the criminal courts. And we also need the supporting systems and specialist stakeholders that families access to be resourced and facilitated to minimise trauma and risk. This underpinning domestic violence- and abuse-informed approach needs to be an explicit and shared project by all stakeholders to improve the system for the most vulnerable. Everyone involved must understand how perpetrators can weaponise the court system and be an ally and advocate on this. We need to reduce, and eradicate, tolerance for abuse of the system itself, which goes on to retraumatise those we should be protecting. With the voices of adult and child victim-survivors now clearly amplified in this research, we have the evidence, the insight, and the moral imperative to build a system that protects, listens, and heals. Now we need to accelerate action to ensure these voices are heard and rights vindicated. Sarah Benson is chief executive of Women's Aid
Sunday World
6 hours ago
- Sunday World
Murder of Scottish gangsters in Spain could drag Kinahan Cartel into new mob war
Fears that double killing could signal Irish gangsters' involvement in new mob war The pair, who were shot dead in an attack at Monaghan's pub in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol eight days ago, were key figures in the Glasgow-based Lyons crime gang. The Lyons mob formed a close alliance with the Kinahan Cartel through Eddie Jnr's brother, Stephen, who previously lived in Spain and now resides in Dubai, and were suspected of helping the Kinahans coordinate the shipment of €157million of cocaine on board the MV Matthews. Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party MSP and former crime journalist Russell Findlay yesterday told the Sunday World a major concern for StephenLyons at this moment is whether the Kinahans may have, in fact, sanctioned the hit. The scene at Monaghan's pub in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol where Eddie Lyons Jnr and Ross Monaghan were gunned down 'We already know the Kinahans' involvement in the Scottish drug trade is significant,' he said. 'Their connections with the Lyons have fuelled gangland violence in Scotland and escalated it over the years. 'In the paranoid world of organised crime, there is a lot of smoke and mirrors, a lot of speculation, but what I suppose this boils down to, is either the Kinahans have had a hand in these murders due to some unknown internal fallout or they have seen two of their allies gunned down in cold blood. 'If it is the latter, then the expectation would be there will be some kind of retribution. 'If I was in Stephen Lyons' shoes, living my luxury air-conditioned lifestyle in Dubai, I would be seeking a meeting with the Kinahans at the earliest possible opportunity to work out who has been responsible for this. . 'But the real fear now is this will only fuel gangland violence, not just in Spain, but also in the streets of Scotland.' In the immediate aftermath of the double assassination at Monaghan's bar, speculation immediately connected the killings to a feud between the Lyons and the rival Daniel gang in Scotland. An escalation in that feud has resulted in assaults, shootings and fire-bombings across Glasgow and Edinburgh in recent months. However, a Lyons family member subsequently discounted this theory, while a statement by Police Scotland said there is 'nothing to suggest that the shooting in Fuengirola was planned from within Scotland'. Ross Monaghan Spanish police are instead understood to be focussed on the likelihood the murders are linked to wider gangland tensions – and are making inquiries to determine what if any stance the Kinahans had taken on the killings. Lyons (46), and Monaghan (43) died when a gunman opened fire on them in the Fuengirola bar – where the pair had watched the Champions League final, at about 11pm on the night of the killings.# The gunman then fled the scene in a car. Sources say the Daniel gang had shied away from making any moves against the Lyons in Spain due to their connections with the Kinahan mob and believe it unlikely their attitude would have changed sufficiently for involvement in the double killing likely. Outlining the background to the Kinahan's alliance with the Lyons and the effect this had on their feud with the Daniel gang, our source referred to a triple shooting in Scotland that occurred at an MOT station in the Lambhill area of the city in 2006. Gangsters Eddie Lyons Jnr In that shooting, Stephen Lyons was badly wounded, as was his associate Robert Pickett, while Stephen's cousin Michael Lyons was shot dead. A source said: 'Going way back, there was a triple shooting in Glasgow at an MOT station, Stephen was shot, his cousin Michael was murdered, and a third man Pickett was shot. backlash 'That resulted in Stephen fleeing to Spain. And it was that, fleeing to Spain, that was either the catalyst for the Kinahan connection being made or that made it bigger than it had already been. 'At that point, some Daniel gang-related associate was in the Costa del Sol and ascertained the Lyons were close to the Kinahans and took the view that they could not make a move on them in Spain. 'They could not make a move against Stephen in Spain. Russell Findlay 'So, if the Daniel gang took the view that was too big a move or that the backlash would be too big back then, it would be consistent with them not having the wherewithal to do it now.' The source said Stephen Lyons is the only member remaining out of the youth gang from which he, Michael and Eddie Jnr emerged. 'The rest are either dead or in prison,' he said. Asked if Stephen Lyons has anything to fear from his long-term allies, the Kinahans, the source responded: 'These people have absolutely no qualms about putting a knife between the shoulder blades of their best friends if it suits them. 'There's no loyalty and there's a paranoia that envelopes everything they do. So, it would be premature to assume the Kinahans are on a war footing over this to avenge the Lyons murders when for all we know they could have been responsible for it.' In their statement released on Tuesday, Police Scotland said they were not directly investigating the double murder. Instead they said: 'The investigation into the fatal shootings in Fuengirola is being carried out by Spanish police,' it said. 'Police Scotland is supporting Spanish police where requested; however at this time we have no officers deployed within Spain. 'There is currently no intelligence to suggest the deaths of these two men in Spain are linked to the recent criminal attacks in Scotland being investigated as part of Operation Portaledge. 'Any misinformation or speculation linking the events in Spain are not helpful to the ongoing investigations in either country.'
Irish Examiner
7 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
'To say I saw appalling stuff is an understatement': Irish soldier on fighting on Ukraine's frontline
Despite the horrors witnessed while fighting the Russians on the Ukrainian frontline and suffering from post-traumatic strees, a former Irish soldier says he is actively considering returning to the warzone to fight once more with his Ukrainian colleagues. Peter*, a single man who is in his 30s and comes from the south of Ireland, served with the Defence Forces for five years. He decided to travel to Ukraine shortly after the Russian invasion in 2022 and returned home a year later. However, he told the Irish Examiner he considering going back again to help, like another former Defence Forces veteran has recently done. 'My initial decision was to defend the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and I arrived there a couple of days after the invasion. Recruits take a physiological adaptation training near frontline close to Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Sunday. 'Initially my family were supportive, but were fairly worried. At the start, it was a bit of an unknown. If I'd had gone out later, the conditions of the war would have been more apparent and my family would have worried even more,' Peter said. While he was able to keep in contact with home while fighting in Ukraine, this contact was kept to a minimum, and was essentially limited to letting them know that he was still alive. This was done through various communication channels, but Peter said he was not prepared to reveal them in order to protect others still out there who are in contact with their relatives. He was aware of other Irish people serving with the Ukrainians — although none were in his unit. Peter was posted to a special forces unit which contained a mixture of Ukrainian special forces and airborne personnel. 'I was the only non-Ukrainian in that unit. Their English was very good so communication was not an issue,' he said. Initially, he was based in Kyiv, but after two months was posted to the frontline between Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city, and Donetsk. 'To say I saw appalling stuff is an understatement. It got gradually worse as the war went on as there was heavier and heavier combat. Quite a few of my friends died,' he said. All the training he did with the Defence Forces could never have prepared him for what he saw. He said British and American soldiers he met out there, and who had fought for their countries in Iraq and Afghanistan, said it was 'even more brutal in Ukraine than those places". Sometimes, Peter and his comrades were less than 40 m from the Russian lines. The enemy would shout out 'threats of what was coming to us' and call on them to surrender. He was injured once and had to spend a week in hospital. There were times when combat didn't stop, and exhausted soldiers were forced to fight for days without any sleep. 'It was sometimes 24/7 and you would be lucky if you might get an hour to nod off. Once, there were three days of constant combat. The adrenaline would be pumping, the bullets flying and the artillery keeping you awake. You had a sense of duty to your comrades. Anyway, if you fell asleep you were dead,' he said. He managed to secure some leave and returned to Ireland when his unit was stood down for rest. 'To say we were combat fatigued would be an understatement,' he added. Peter is still seriously considering going back to Ukraine because of a 'sense of duty' to those of his comrades left behind who are still fighting. A soldier prepares a 120mm mortar to fire towards Russian army positions near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, Ukraine, last month. Picture: Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP And he readily admitted reports that the Russians are amassing 50,000 troops for a further push into the country 'could be a trigger to go back'. The Russians are currently building up troop numbers near Ukraine's northern Sumy region for what observers believe could be a planned summer offensive. Peter said he was constantly keeping himself updated and is in touch with comrades still fighting with his unit. Again, for security reasons, he won't divulge how this communication is happening. Any decision he makes to return to Ukraine may well be 'spontaneous', but if the Russians launch a summer offensive, he could well go back to help his comrades, a number of whom are close friends. He said one of these men has a wife who has come to Ireland to seek safety from the constant threat of a Russian missile attack. In terms of peace, Peter says while the outcome is 'unpredictable' unfortunately, it looks likely that Ukraine will have to cede some of its territory to the Russian invaders. In terms of dealing with his post-traumatic stress, he is thankful for the charity, ONE, which helps former Defence Forces personnel. 'I was quite reluctant to seek help initially. A mutual friend said I could do with some support and gave me the relevant contacts (with ONE). The friend realised I needed help. Some friends and family members said there were certain indications. I had anger issues, felt desensitised, and isolated when I came home,' he said. Peter is urging others who have returned from the frontline to contact ONE for help. 'I was unaware and then somewhat reluctant,' he said. He was initially advised to contact a GP, but said it was extremely hard to relate military experiences to a "civilian" who has never experienced them. 'You get cut off from reality and 'civies' wouldn't have a clue what you went through,' he added. (not his real name*) 'They all say they want to return to the frontline' Audra Larkin, charity ONE's veteran support officer, aaid she was currently offering support to three former Defence Forces personnel who have returned home from fighting in Ukraine. Audra Larkin, who is one of six ONE veteran support officers based around the country, said she was currently offering support to three former Defence Forces personnel who have returned home from fighting in Ukraine. Ms Larkin told the Irish Examiner she was aware of another former soldier she supported in her role with the charity who has since returned to Ukraine to continue fighting invading Russian forces. Those who have served in Ukraine continuously talk about 'the buddies' they have left behind and feel guilty for leaving them, according to Ms Larkin. 'They have said they would all go back tomorrow. They are all open about this. We outline the risks and possible consequences of doing this, but there is an overwhelming camaraderie,' she said. Ms Larkin said one of the Defence Forces' veterans she helped to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder returned to Ukraine last January. He is only in his 20s. It is understood he lost one of his friends in the fighting and was determined to return, despite the obvious risks. 'He felt a deep commitment to his comrades. This person felt guilty not being with them. This is part of a soldier's mind,' she said. She said the soldiers' desire to return to the frontline comes despite the 'harrowing stories' about what's happening in the brutal war in Ukraine, which has been raging since the Russian invasion of February 2022. She also said the charity she works with, ONE, started to see the 'emergence' of returning Irish fighters from Ukraine seeking counselling support towards the end of last year. Ms Larkin said she knew from those she was currently helping that there are more ex-members of the Defence Forces who have fought in Ukraine but have not approached ONE for help. 'We are urging them to just reach out [to us]. They will receive professional help from staff who will deal with them in the strictest confidence,' she said. Ms Larkin said it was important former soldiers are able to seek help from people who have knowledge of the military, with military backgrounds, and who can operate with their "shared language". Ms Larkin, who has many years of experience within the Defence Forces, said her background was hugely important in helping her understanding of veterans' needs. 'I've been in the Defence Forces my whole life. I was born into the Defence Forces. I grew up in the Defence Forces." As well as serving oversees herself, she also worked in addiction services. She joined ONE from private practice, having gained experience there in helping combat veterans deal with post-traumatic stress. Irish who died fighting in Ukraine A number of Irish citizens have died while fighting for Ukraine. The list of fatalities includes a former member of the elite Army Ranger Wing (ARW)) who was killed on September 19 while fighting alongside Ukrainian Special Forces. Robert Deegan, from Co Kildare, was killed while fighting in Ukraine. Robert Deegan was 29 and from Newbridge, Co Kildare. He had joined the fight shortly after the 2022 Russian invasion. He lost an eye while serving with Ukraine's Special Forces Unit that year. His injury was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) but once he recovered, he went back to fight alongside his Ukrainian comrades — going against advice from some family and friends. He was said to be 'laser-focused' on returning to Ukraine and 'deeply committed' to the Ukrainian cause. The highly-skilled soldier had served not only in the much-vaunted Ranger Wing, but was also involved in the Engineers Unit of the Defence Forces Training Centre. After his death, his family released a statement saying he died 'like a warrior', protecting his comrades and he had made "the ultimate sacrifice while staying true to his principles and character'. On the day he died he continued to fight on in the face of a Russian onslaught in order to provide cover for his colleagues' retreat. As a younger man, he was a champion cyclist who represented Ireland, and some of his family are understood to have had a long history of service with the Defence Forces. In December 2023, dual Irish-American citizen Graham Dale, aged 45, originally from Raheny in North Dublin, was killed while fighting for the Ukrainians. He had previously fought with the US Marines in Iraq and moved permanently to Dublin in 2020. Dale had joined the US Marines following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Finbar Cafferkey, from Achill, Co Mayo, was killed while battling Russian forces near the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk Oblas in April 2023. Finbar Cafferkey, aged 46, from Achill, Co Mayo, was killed while battling Russian forces near the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk Oblas in April 2023. Part of the Shell to Sea campiagn in the 2000s, he had previous combat experience in Syria helping Kurdish militia fight Islamic State insurgents. Rory Mason, 23, from Dunboyne, Co Meath, died while fighting for Ukraine's International Legion in the Kharkiv region near the Russian border in October 2022. Irish man Rory Mason was killed in action in Ukraine. His father, Rob, told the BBC: "Though we are deeply saddened at his death, we are enormously proud of his courage and determination and his selflessness in immediately enlisting to support Ukraine." "Rory was never political but he had a deep sense of right and wrong and an inability to turn the other way in the face of injustice. "Those who fought alongside Rory speak of a truly brave and courageous man who could have left at any time but chose not to. In August 2024, Alex Ryzhuk, aged 20, from Rathmines, Dublin — a drone operator — was also killed fighting for the Ukrainians. The youngest of the Irish to die fighting in Ukraine, he was born in Dublin to Ukrainian parents. News about rape and torture by Russian troops in the Ukrainian city Bucha in April 2022, as well as the deaths of relatives and friends fighting in the war are understood to what motivated Alex to leave Dublin and travel to the frontlines early in 2023.
