The following is a slightly abridged version of the victim impact statement given by Sheila Murray at Limerick Circuit Court:
"On the 10th of September 2006 my life changed completely because on this date two of my eight children were burnt badly by a petrol bomb that was thrown into my car. Myself and my children did nothing wrong for this to happen only I refused someone a lift to the courthouse.
"I left my friend's house with my children and next thing my car was in flames. I got out and pulled my daughter Milly out of the car and was shouting for help for Gavin. I couldn't even see Gavin in the car when I got Milly out because of thick black smoke. I could only see smoke and flames. I don't think I will ever get rid of the guilt that I couldn't get Gavin out with Milly and he might not have been burnt so bad if I was able to get him.
"Doing this victim impact report and coming to the court lately means I have to start talking about what happened that day and it always makes me feel sick to talk about it but I have been advised by my psychologist and social worker that it would be better for myself and my children to deal with it.
"On that day everything was like a daze but I just kept going and I don't even know how I did. I had to sit in the back of a guard's car while we followed the ambulance carrying Milly to Dublin and I had to leave Gavin behind in Limerick because he was too bad to travel. He went straight into intensive care in the Regional. Doctors told me the first 24 to 48 hours were critical for both Milly and Gavin. But I sat in the intensive care unit with Milly and waited and asked about Gavin.
"Nobody was telling me but I knew Gavin was badly burned because he couldn't be moved.
"...Life for me for the next few months involved me travelling up and down from Limerick to Dublin, my children being taken care of by myself, friends and family and moving the children from one place to the next. I felt like I was being pulled all over the place between being at the hospital with Milly and Gavin and having to leave them and be there for the rest of my children.
"...I felt like my life and my children's lives were all over the place. I just about owned my house in Pineview Gardens as I was buying it from the Corporation but now we no longer live there. I used to get on with my neighbours and my children had friends there. We have had to move and are trying to make a new life in another area.
"While I was in Crumlin hospital I watched Milly and Gavin going through intensive burns treatment every day. When they were coming off the sedation they were in terrible pain but I had to be there to support them along with the medical staff. Most of the time I had to leave the room because I couldn't stand to watch them anymore. I could never go far, though, as I had to be there constantly.
"Milly and Gavin have had operations but I have been told they will need a lot more treatment, more skin grafts and Gavin will need to have his ear fixed. They will be scarred physically for the rest of their lives, apart from the psychological effect it has had and will have on them.
"Myself and all my children are having counselling because of all of this. Since Milly and Gavin came out of hospital in January they had had their dressings/creams etc done by nurses every second day and physio three times a week. They have to wear special "Jobst garments" all over their burns. Gavin has one for his back, neck and his head as most of his burns are on his head. The children complain about wearing them as they are very uncomfortable especially in the warm weather and I have a constant fight to get them to wear them.
"Our whole lives now revolve around Milly and Gavin's treatment. We can't go anywhere or arrange anything like a break away for them or the rest of the children because of their treatment. I have to sit up most nights with Gavin as he gets bad nightmares. They are both frightened to sleep on their own so they sleep with me.
"The rest of my children have all been affected too. They missed a lot of school, being upset, had to move house and seen and heard what was going on. They visited their brother and sister in hospital and know what they have gone through. They have also missed out as most of the time I couldn't be with them because of having to travel up and down to Dublin. Our lives will never be the same again and Milly and Gavin will never get their full health back. They are scarred for the rest of their lives.
"I will think of that day every time I look at my children. I try to go around as normal but every day it just gets harder. We lost our home and our lives have been turned upside down."