The family of double-killer John Gallagher said yesterday that they do not accept his apology for all the hurt and pain he has caused.
The 46 year old Donegal man, who was released from the Central Mental Hospital on Friday afternoon, said he regrets all he did on a daily basis.
“There’s not a day that goes by that I do not regret what I did,” said Gallagher referring to the killings of Anne and Annie Gillespie in 1988.
Gallagher said he had to hand himself into the Central Mental Hospital after 12 years on the run to face his future.
He said the main reason for turning himself in and coming across the border from his home in Strabane was to be able to see his beloved mother Margaret.
However last night his estranged family said they will never accept any apology from the double-killer.
They asked why he has issued an apology now when he could have done so in the past 12 years.
The spokesman said people know nothing of the “hell” he put his own family through when he was living in Strabane.
“He speaks now of moving on and of forgiveness and of protecting his children.
“What about our lives and what about our children? Since he moved to Strabane in 2003 our lives have been hell and it’s all because of him.
“We can’t sleep in our beds at night knowing that he can be outside our door at any time.
“It is easy saying these things. But we know the real John Gallagher and the different sides to him,” said the spokesman.
Gallagher’s estranged family have now sought Garda protection but Gardai say they can only act if he breaks the conditions of his discharge from the CMH.
The conditions include that he stay away from relatives of his victims and his estranged family and that he remains within a five mile radius of Lifford.
Gallagher said he is now a spiritual man and that only he and God know how truly he is for killing the mother and daughter in the grounds of Sligo General Hospital.
The Gallagher family spokesman added that they are fearful their killer brother will strike again if pushed.
“He can well afford to say all those things now that he is a free man. He escaped from the hospital he was being kept in for killing those two poor women and has been free for the past 12 years.
“All he served was six more weeks and now he is free to live amongst us again.
“That is not justice in our books. These people do not know the real John Gallagher and what he is capable of,” he added.
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