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The Irish Sun

Brute's twisted lies after murder of Dublin mum in Spain when she tried to ‘end toxic relationship' & thug's jail future

THE heartbroken family of tragic Kirsty Ward have told how they are continuing to 'come to terms' with her murder at the hands of her evil partner. Former soldier Keith Byrne faces three decades behind bars after he was convicted of killing mum-of-one Kirsty at a hotel in Advertisement 4 Wicked Byrne, 34, strangled Kirsty to death after she told him she was leaving him 4 Kirsty Ward was murdered at a hotel in Spain in July 2023 4 Kristy died at a four-star Magnolia Hotel in the popular Costa Daurada resort of Salou Credit: Solarpix Wicked Byrne, 34, strangled Kirsty to death with a hair straightener power cord after she told him she was leaving him. In a statement, Kirsty's loved ones hailed those who got justice on their behalf. It read: 'Our family wish to thank our private prosecutor Estela Cortes and her team for guiding, supporting and representing Kirsty, her son and our family at this very difficult and painful time; Javier Goimil the public prosecutor for his commitment and passion; the Spanish investigation teams and police for their expertise, empathy and understanding; and the jury for seeing and believing in what was the truth about our beautiful Kirsty. 'Our family now request our privacy to be respected, while we grieve and come to terms with all that has happened during the past two years.' Advertisement Read more in News Twisted In a video recording just weeks after the murder from his 'The temperatures of her body will show she was dead two or three hours before they got there, so that'll all come out. And then the newspapers will have to eat their words.' In the footage, dad-of-three Byrne showed pictures of his family he had with him in his cell, before telling his kids: 'Daddy will be home soon.' Advertisement MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN At the time, he was caged in a low-security unit and told his loved ones that all was going well. He said: 'I'm safe. Going to school, f***ing learning Spanish, going to gym, swimming, playing football. A1. I'm fing A1. 'I'm in a low-security unit. There's no violence here, nothing like that. It's not allowed. You're allowed to get f***d out. 'All the prisoners are under suss. They don't let anyone act the b*****ks cos it f***s them all up. So it's A1. So don't worry about anything like that.' Advertisement But Byrne will not be coming back to his native Ireland anytime soon after a jury found him guilty on Wednesday night following three days of deliberations. He shamelessly claimed during his trial in the eastern Spanish city of Tarragona 36-year-old mum-of-one Kirsty died by suicide at their four-star Magnolia Hotel in the popular Costa Daurada resort of Salou. He described himself as a 'respectful and intelligent' man who would never commit an act of domestic violence. 'TOXIC' Callous Byrne demonised Kirsty as someone who could be 'four people in one day' especially after binging on alcohol and cocaine, which he claimed made their romance 'toxic.' Advertisement Byrne is not expected to find out for nearly a month how much time he will have to serve. A private prosecutor acting for Kirsty's family said she was still seeking the 30-year sentence she argued for before and during the trial. Public prosecutor Javier Goimil urged the judge to jail him for 20 years for his July 2 2023 The killer was led handcuffed from the court after learning he was now a convicted criminal following nearly two years on remand in prison. Advertisement MURDER TRIAL Mr Goimil, a domestic violence specialist, rubbished Byrne's court claim Kirsty took her own life during his closing speech to the jury last Wednesday on the final day of the murder trial. He claimed the former soldier, who had been living in Duleek, Co Meath, decided: 'You're mine or you're nobody's', and strangled his girlfriend to death because she wanted out of their stormy relationship. He said the forensic evidence pointed to Kirsty had been strangled from behind between 8pm and 10pm on July 2 2023 after 'incapacitating herself' with alcohol and cocaine Mr Goimil said Byrne had 'adapted his version of events' against the evidence on him. He added: 'What's occurred here is a violent and painful death, a strangulation from behind where someone is pulling from the front to the back. This was not a suicide.' Advertisement He explained that she did not left a note behind for her son or siblings, and she had bought a plane ticket back to Dublin. 'VERY INTENSE' He said: 'Kirsty's relationship with Byrne was very toxic, very intense and very emotional. 'She decided to end it during the week they stayed at the hotel in Salou and her partner couldn't accept that decision. 'His mindset at that moment was: 'Or you're mine or you're nobody's. You, woman, are no-one to say you're going to detach yourself from me the man and have your own independent life. Advertisement 'That was why he killed her the way he did.' Kirsty's mum Jackie Ward described Byrne as someone she 'didn't like' and 'didn't trust' on day one of the trial in April. She said she had found out after her daughter's death she had planned to leave him during their 'make or break' holiday. She was asked as she gave evidence whether she thought her daughter, whose son Evan was 14 when she died, could have committed suicide but replied angrily: 'She did everything for her son. She would never ever leave him. She would never do that to him.' Advertisement 'ADORED DAUGHTER' Ms Ward described her daughter after her death as a 'fantastic friend' to her parents and 'an absolutely adored daughter.' She told the congregation at the Church of John the Evangelist in Ballinteer, Dublin in July 2023 that she had been an amazing mum to Evan, saying: 'The two of them were an amazingly strong and tight team and I hope to continue the great work she has done. 'To me she was a fantastic friend and an absolutely adored daughter to myself and John. She was a caring sister, a cherished granddaughter and much loved niece and cousin. A loyal and true friend.' An online fundraising appeal Kirsty's family launched before the trial to help fund their legal costs has so far raised more than €32,000. Advertisement It emerged following Byrne's Spanish arrest that he was wanted in England by Royal Military Police for going AWOL after he left for Ireland in 2017. Reports in Ireland last March said Spanish prosecutors intended to interview at least two women about assisting the case by giving background information about him. One of these women previously claimed in an interview that Byrne had tried to strangle her in an incident at a property in a number of years ago. 4 Former soldier Keith Byrne faces three decades behind bars after he was convicted of killing mum-of-one Kirsty Credit: Solarpix Advertisement