Sister of woman killed by her partner calls for tougher laws on domestic abuse

Martin Hayes was today sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison by Mr Justice Paul McDermott for the manslaughter of his partner, Amadea McDermott.

Mr Justice McDermott said the killing was clearly a case of domestic violence and he noted that during her life, Hayes had tracked Ms McDermott's movements using a secret app on her phone.

He had also made "menacing videos" in which he challenged Ms McDermott regarding Hayes's untrue and unfounded belief that Ms McDermott was involved in an incestuous relationship.

The judge further noted the recent bruises on Ms McDermott's body as noted by a pathologist following her death and evidence that Hayes had a history of aggressive and violent behaviour towards his victim.

Speaking outside court, Eucharia McDermott described her sister as a "kind, caring, funny, loving, beautiful and amazing mother, daughter, sister, auntie and friend."

She thanked gardaí and the prosecution team who had, she said, "helped to convict this violent, sick, evil, twisted, deranged monster."

She said Hayes had told "lie after lie without a shred of evidence" in his testimony to the trial when he falsely alleged that Ms McDermott had caused her own death by stabbing herself. "Throughout the trial he showed no remorse for taking our beautiful sister's life away from her and her family," she said.

While Amadea was "dying on the floor, gasping for breath," she said Hayes told the victim to "get the fuck up".

Hours later, he "had a laugh and a joke... as if nothing happened" when being interviewed by gardaí, Ms McDermott said. "This is a sick, violent and evil monster.

When he was cross-examined by Sean Gillane [senior counsel for the prosecution], the coward, thug and abuser was quite confident and proud, boasting: "If somebody hits me, I'll hit them back, I have every right to do so"."

She said that although the family will "never get our beautiful Amadea back, we have protected many women from his evil, violent hands. In my opinion we have saved lives from his evil hands."

She added: "The physical abuse, mental abuse and emotional abuse she endured and her violent death will haunt us to the day we pass. For every wound there is a scar and every scar tells a story. We strongly urge our nation to stand up against coercive control and domestic abuse.

"Whether it be physical abuse, mental abuse or emotional abuse, we feel the laws in this country are too lenient and need to be changed urgently to help protect and save lives."

Grave digger Hayes (34) was found not guilty of Amadea McDermott's (27) murder but guilty of manslaughter by the majority verdict of a Central Criminal Court jury earlier this month.

Hayes, with an address at Poddle Close, Crumlin, Dublin 12 had pleaded not guilty to murdering the mother of two at her home in Rathvale Drive, Ayrfield, Coolock on or about July 20, 2017. He told the trial that his partner inflicted the injury on herself.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott today said Hayes still maintains that he is guilty of no offence and therefore there is no evidence that he has any remorse for what he did.

The judge found that it was established beyond a reasonable doubt by the evidence heard during the trial that Hayes stabbed Ms McDermott once in the abdomen, causing her death. The single stab wound tracked downwards through the abdominal wall and ended at the spine. It caused substantial blood loss that led to death.

The judge also noted bruises to Ms McDermott's limbs that a pathologist said were recently caused and bruises to her face that the pathologist said were "more likely" from direct blows than from a fall. Those included bruises and grazes above her right eye, lip, temple and left jaw.

Mr Justice McDermott said the accused gave conflicting accounts of what led to the row but the judge noted that both had been drinking and taking cocaine before a row erupted. The judge said he is satisfied that the cause of the row was Hayes's "untrue and unfounded belief" that Ms McDermott had been involved in an incestuous relationship. He described this as an "obsession" and said he was satisfied that Hayes was the aggressor on the night.

He noted aggravating features including the "clear history of violence against the deceased", and said the killing was "clearly an act of domestic violence, which is in itself an aggravating feature."

Hayes's use of alcohol and drugs was an exacerbating rather than mitigating factor given that it was "not out of character" for Hayes to be violent or aggressive towards Ms McDermott when intoxicated.

The jury's verdict means they were satisfied that Hayes stabbed his partner but they did not find that he had the intention to kill or cause serious injury, the judge said. However, Mr Justice McDermott noted that the infliction of the stab wound was "on any view highly reckless".

He further noted that Hayes had created "menacing videos" in which he confronted Ms McDermott with the untrue allegations regarding incest. In one video, he said Ms McDermott was "clearly in fear". The judge also noted Hayes's demeanour in giving evidence during the trial, which he said showed his "underlying violent disposition, he was violent in language and in action." He said it was "rare to be given such a clear demonstration of this" in a trial but Hayes's disposition was "shockingly clear to all but himself".

The judge set a headline sentence of 14 years and noted there was only limited mitigation, such as Hayes's work record as a gravedigger and his attempts to address his drug abuse issues.

Taking into account all matters, the judge set a sentence of 12 years and six months with no portion suspended. He backdated the sentence to April 4, 2022 when Hayes first went into custody.