The family of tragic Jasmine McMonagle have appealed to people to reach out to others who may be in danger this Christmas.
The beautiful 28-year-old mother-of-two, was strangled and beaten in her Killygordon home in the early hours of January 4, 2019.
Her former partner Richard Burke was jailed for 14 years earlier this year after being found guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
IN a post on her Smiles for Jasmine Facebook page, Jasmine’s family said she loved Christmas.
The post said “It’s almost Christmas and almost 5 years since Jasmine’s life was ended on the 4th January 2019.
“Jasmine loved spending Christmas with all of her family. Christmas will never be the same without her. It’s important that we try to reach out to people.
“Please follow & share Smile for Jasmine as you may reach out to someone that needs to know how Jasmine’s life was ended so horrifically.”
The post then listed a number of agencies which offer help and support to those living in fear.
They include:
Safe Ireland
End Violence Against Women Coalition
Stop Domestic Violence In Ireland Support Group
Families Of The Femicide Census.
Women’s Aid
Amber Women’s Refuge
Donegal Women’s Centre
Men’s Alliance NI
Women’s Institutes of Northern Ireland
Donegal Domestic Violence Services – DDVS
Woman Safety
Women’s Collective Ireland-Donegal
White Ribbon Australia
West Cork Women Against Violence Project
Domestic Violence Survivors
Jasmine’s killer Burke (32) must also undergo five years of post-release supervision and psychiatric care.
In March, a jury in the trial of Burke found him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The unanimous verdict was returned at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Monaghan.
Burke, with an address in Killygordon but originally from Donegal town, had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter.
At his sentencing today, the court heard his responsibility for the killing was ‘substantially diminished’ by a mental disorder which may have been triggered or made worse by drug use.
Mr Justice Burns said that, despite his condition, Burke knew that what he was doing was wrong, that he understood the nature of what he was doing and he could have stopped it.
He imposed a sentence of 15 years with the final year suspended for five years.
