A 44-year old man has admitted to the murder of his two sons last year.
In the Central Criminal Court today, Sanjeev Chada of Ballinkillen, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow pleaded guilty to killing Eoghan (10) and Ruairi Chada (5) at Skehanagh Lower, Ballintubber, Co Mayo on July 29th, 2013.
Their bodies were discovered in the boot of Chada’s car, which he had crashed not far from Westport.
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A nationwide alert had previously been issued to help locate the boys.
Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed two life sentences to run concurrently.
In an hour-long hearing, the court heard Chada had decided to kill his children to spare them the shame of his fraudulent behaviour - he had embezzled €56,000 from a community centre to pay debts from online trading.
On Sunday, July 28th, he told his wife Kathleen he was taking Eoghan and Ruairi bowling.
However, he then drove to Mayo where he strangled the boys. He tried to strangle himself at the same time but failed in his attempt.
He placed the boys’ bodies in the boot of his car and later crashed into a wall.
A “child rescue Ireland” alert had been issued by gardaí after his wife became concerned for their welfare.
In her victim impact statement to the court, Ms Chada said she met her husband 18 years ago and they had married just over six years later.
“I thought we had a normal family blessed to have two healthy boys,” she said.
“How can evil such as this be hidden for so long in a seemingly normal father?”
She said the day of her sons’ death had appeared normal. However, the court heard Chada had planned the murders in the preceding days.
“Little did I know Sanj intended I never see any of them alive again. I question why he left me behind.”
Giving evidence, Det Sgt Gary Walsh said Chada had considered killing his wife too but felt she may have proven too strong.
The older boy, Eoghan, died of ligature strangulation and blunt force trauma to the head. Ruairi died of ligature strangulation.
Chada wrote a number of notes he intended to leave behind, describing Eoghan as a “magician” and Ruairi as a “treasure”.
“I suppose we will always be together now in some way,” he wrote, asking that the three be buried together.
In a statement to the court he said he was truly sorry, especially to his wife, but offered little in mitigating evidence.
Dressed in dark grey, Chada spoke very quietly only to plead guilty to two counts of murder. His gaze never lifted from the floor.
Since the deaths, he has remained in custody at the Central Mental Hospital where he has displayed suicidal ideation.
