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Injuries to 'beloved' mum-of-two murdered by ex like 'horror movie', teenage daughter tells court

Summary

Brian McHugh, 40, was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 52-year-old Lisa Thompson. The sentence was backdated to July 11, 2022, when he entered custody. McHugh had pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Thompson at Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun, Dublin 11, on May 9, 2022. A jury unanimously found him guilty after rejecting his defence that she was a "woman of secrets." The court heard three emotional victim impact statements from Ms Thompson's teenage daughter, son, and sister, Ashley Duckett. The daughter described the injuries as resembling "horror movies" and stated McHugh's face would haunt her. The judge, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, noted the "horrific and brutal circumstances" of the death. Prior to sentencing, the Court of Appeal overturned a pre-trial ruling that had excluded CCTV identification evidence, restoring it for the trial. Evidence included McHugh's DNA on a blind cord used to strangle the victim and text messages from a named woman referencing the killing. McHugh has 50 previous convictions, including theft, robbery, and drug offences. The matter was concluded with the imposition of the life sentence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Injuries to 'beloved' mum-of-two murdered by ex like 'horror movie', teenage daughter tells court. Charges or matters: murdering Ms Thompson at Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun in Dublin 11 on May 9, 2022. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

• July 11 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
• February 27 Incident
• May 9, 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
• May 9 2022 Other
• June 2022 Other
• 2025-03-10 Publication

Why: "We are far too young for this trauma that you have caused us and there is always a concern when I grow up and don't feel safe in my own home because of people like you that exist……One day when I have kids of my own, they will ask me why do we go the graveyard to see our grandmother. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Appeal Theft Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report