Advertisement
News

Full State apology to be offered to Joanne Hayes and her family today

Dec 18, 2020 08:41 By radiokerrynews
Full State apology to be offered to Joanne Hayes and her family today
Share this article

A full State apology is to be offered to Joanne Hayes and her family in the High Court today. Ms Hayes was wrongly accused of

A full State apology is to be offered to Joanne Hayes and her family in the High Court today.

Ms Hayes was wrongly accused of murdering an infant over 35 years ago.

In an application to the High Court Ms Hayes had hoped to vindicate the family's good name.

Advertisement

In 1984 Joanne Hayes, and members of her family, were arrested by gardai, following the discovery in Cahersiveen of a new born baby with multiple stab wounds.

Ms Hayes was accused of being the mother of baby John and murdering him, while her family were accused of concealing the birth of a child - all charges were dropped in October 1984.

The parents of that child, called baby John, have never been identified, nor has his killer.

Advertisement

A tribunal of inquiry was established in late 1984/early 1985.

Ms Hayes was joined by her siblings in an application to the High Court, which sought for all findings or wrongdoings made against them by the Kerry Babies tribunal to be declared unfounded or incorrect.

Ms Hayes and her family say the tribunal contained numerous findings against them that were untrue, unfounded, not supported by any evidence, and were purely speculative.

Advertisement

Compensation is also expected to be awarded to the family today.

In 2018, Ms Hayes received apologies over her treatment from both the then-Taoiseach, and current Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, on behalf of the State, and the then-acting Garda Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin.

 

Share this article
Advertisement

RadioKerry Newsletter

Sign up now to keep up to date with the latest news.

Processing your request...

You are subscribed now! please check your email to confirm your subscription.