The fatal injuries to mother-of-two Lisa Thompson, who was strangled with a blind cord and stabbed to death in her own home by her former lover, have been described by the victim’s young daughter as like those “which could only be seen in horror movies”.
Ms Thompson’s teenage daughter also told the Central Criminal Court on Monday in her victim impact statement that she will never forget repeat offender Brian McHugh’s “face or evil eyes” and that his name will “haunt” her for the rest of her life.
She added: “You went in that night and brutally killed her, left her there to die and then robbed her of what she owned ... We lost our mam to someone we thought we could trust. Someone that played with us and once laughed and joked with us in the same home you took my mam’s life.
“All that me and my brother have left are memories and photos of her. If we want to talk to her we have to visit a patch of grass and just be reminded of what you have done to our mother.”
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The testimony was heard as part of three emotional victim impact statements read to the court where McHugh (40) was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for murdering Ms Thompson (52). The sentence was backdated to July 11th 2022, when he went into custody.
The three statements were delivered by Ms Thompson’s sister Ashley Duckett, who said the family had been in the courtroom for the last month listening to “many things” regarding the deceased.
“Lisa was a mother, daughter, sister and a wonderful auntie. I know she was in a dark place before her death but that is not a reflection on how she lived her life. We shared many happy memories and laughs along the way. She was my friend and my go-to person for late-night chats,” said Ms Duckett.
In his statement, Ms Thompson’s son said his mother was his best friend, his guide and his greatest supporter.
“Her absence has left an irreplaceable void in my heart and in my family. Since her tragic death I have experienced a range of emotions – anger, sadness, confusion. The memories of her laughter and warmth haunt me daily. I find it difficult to navigate life without her presence because of this man that took my mother’s life,” he said.
Ms Thompson’s children, the court heard, were 12 and 13 years of age when their mother was murdered.
Evidence has been given in the trial that gardaí searching Ms Thompson’s home found thousands of prescription tablets worth nearly €50,000 hidden in her attic and that she and McHugh had a “bit of a fling” in the year before she died. Earlier, the court heard that McHugh had 50 previous convictions – 20 of which are for theft and burglary, five for robbery, eight for drug offences, two for possession of knives and one for criminal damage.
Ms Thompson’s friends were in court wearing “Justice for Lisa” T-shirts.
On February 27th last, a jury took just over three hours to find McHugh guilty of murdering Ms Thompson. Evidence was heard during the three-week trial that Ms Thompson – who was found with 11 stab wounds to her chest and the bloodstained cord wrapped around her neck – was dealing prescription drugs from her home.
McHugh, with an address at Cairn Court, Poppintree, Ballymun, in Dublin 11, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Thompson at Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun, on May 9th, 2022.
Following the three statements, Ms Justice Karen O’Connor said Ms Duckett had represented her sister “beautifully” and with dignity. The judge said the family statements had allowed Ms Thompson to have the final voice in the trial.
