The parents of murdered Dublin mother of one Donna Cleary have criticised the Director of Public Prosecution's decision not to prosecute anyone for their daughter's death.
Donna's parents were speaking after a jury of four women and two men returned a unanimous verdict of death by unlawful killing under the direction of Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, at Dublin City Coroner's Court today.
Donna Cleary (22) of Castlekevin Road, Coolock died from shock and haemorrhage after she was shot in the chest in the early hours of March 5th, 2006 by a gunman who had earlier been refused entry to the birthday party at Adare Green Coolock, along with a number of other men, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard.
The men returned to the house in a silver Volvo approximately ten minutes later at around 2.30am and a gunman, who was seated in the back passenger seat of the car, emerged from the vehicle and indiscriminately sprayed the house with bullets.
He discharged five shots from his Luger pistol, two of which entered the house and one of which fatally wounded the mother of one.
"Everyone was screaming. I could see her (Donna's)face. It was gaunt. I could see the life leaving her. She was bad. Her eyes were fixated," Ms Edel Murtagh told the court.
Garda Michael Leonard of Coolock Garda Station was the first Garda to arrive on the scene shortly after 2.30am, where he discovered a young woman lying on the ground.
"She spoke to me and she was very distraught. She was calling for her baby and she said she wanted to see her baby. I cleared the room as quickly as I could."
Ms Cleary was rushed to Beaumont hospital, by the Killbarrack Fire service ambulance and arrived at the A & E department at 2.58am.
She died almost an hour and a half later at 4.26am following a cardiac arrest, despite the urgent efforts of the emergency team to save her.
Dr Farrell told the jury, "in order to do justice to this appalling crime inflicted on Donna Cleary I want to be able to put a homicide verdict to you and I am offering you a verdict of unlawful killing. It would seem from the evidence that this was an indiscriminate shooting and it's amazing no one else was killed."
"This, what should have been a joyful night out which ended in criminal tragedy."
Dr Farrell expressed his condolences to Ms Cleary's parents, Kathleen and Peter, who are raising Ms Cleary's son, four-year-old Clayton.
"I hope you will be able to find the strength to bear this, but I'm sure it's extremely difficult and painful"
Two days after Ms Cleary's death, the chief suspect Dwayne Foster, 24, died in Garda custody. Two others arrested for questioning were released without charge after challenging their detention as unlawful in the High Court. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directed that no criminal charges be brought.
Speaking outside the court, Ms Cleary's father, Mr Peter Cleary said no one had been brought to justice for his daughter's death.
"There were other cases that happened in this country and there were no witnesses and they were brought to justice. We have witnesses there and the DPP just," threw it out, he said.
"It's just tragic I can't understand how someone would do that," he said, reflecting on the violent manner in his daughter met her death.
" I wouldn't like to blow Donna's trumpet, but her friends would say she was the loveliest girl you could meet," he added.
"But it happens every day in Dublin. There are lots of innocent people in the same situation. I'm not the only one," he said.
Donna's mother Mrs Kathleen Cleary said the couple's only comfort is Donna's four year old son, Clayton, who they are raising.
"She just lived for her son. He's great. He started school on Wednesday."