ALBINA Ring, whose daughter and two grandchildren were murdered eight years ago, has expressed her outrage over being told that their killer is up for a parole hearing.
John Geary (42), of Meadow Court, Newcastle West stabbed his former partner Sarah Hines (25) and their five-month-old daughter Amy to death because she had left him. He also murdered Amy’s three-year-old brother Reece and 20-year-old Alicia Brough at a house in Hazelgrove, Newcastle West, on November 15, 2010.
Geary pleaded guilty to the four murders and was sentenced to four concurrent life sentences by Mr. Justice Paul Carney on July 8, 2013.
But Mrs. Ring says that after serving only seven years, she has received a letter notifying her that John Geary is set to have his first parole board review in the near future. “I got the letter just before Christmas, I didn’t think he would be entitled to parole for at least 14 years, that’s what I got told,” she said.
“It was like dragging it out and going over it all again, just as I was starting to get my head together,” said Mrs. Ring, who suffered a heart attack soon after finding out the gruesome details of the murder.
Under Irish law, a person serving life in prison can be reviewed for temporary or early release after serving just seven years of their sentence.
Sarah’s heartbroken mother also spoke about the moment she had discovered her daughter had been murdered. “The night before I had got a text from Sarah, she said that John had come into the house and smashed the place up. I told her she should stay with me, but she said she would be fine. That was the last time I spoke to my daughter,” she said.
Until now, Mrs. Ring has expressed a desire for the media not to focus on the graphic details of the case but believes it is important the public know what kind of “monster” Geary is, in case he ever gets his freedom.
Using a screwdriver and a number of knives Geary inflicted 21 wounds on his ex-partner’s face, neck, and chest. He also inflicted nine stab wounds on his baby daughter Amy, using a screwdriver and a further 15 wounds on three-year-old Reece.
Mrs Ring has said she is terrified Geary will be released on a technicality. “It’s going to take a lot more than seven years to feel that Sarah Reece and Amy got any justice. They’re the ones who are not breathing, who are not getting justice, and he might be in prison, but he’s still living,” she said.
She believes that Geary doesn’t feel remorse for his actions, saying he was a predator who used Sarah’s kindness to his advantage. “I have no doubt that he would do something like this again if he was given the chance, he is pure evil,” she said.
During Geary’s trail, she held a picture of her murdered family up for the killer to see, she says she did this in the hope he would realize what he had done “I stood in front of him with a picture of Sarah, Reece and Amy, the people he had murdered. I kept moving it to keep it in front of his face, and he spat at me. He spat at me,” said Mrs. Ring.
She is now starting a campaign to try to have the law changed, which would mean stricter sentencing for people convicted of murder.
“I think when someone takes a life, they should never be free. Sarah doesn’t get another chance, Reece doesn’t get another chance, and Amy never even got a chance,” said Mrs. Ring.
The mother-of-six plans to start a petition in order to keep Geary behind bars, as well as bringing about stricter sentencing for future cases.
“This parole after seven years should be gotten rid of, it only takes one person to feel pity and say ‘he should be given a chance’ and he could be free,” Mrs. Ring said
Mrs. Ring believes that the people of West Limerick will support her, including Geary’s friends and family.
She believes that no one in the community would want the murderer back in the area, and hopes that they will stand with her.
“I am here to fight for all the women and children that have died through violence,” she stated.
“If I could speak to him, I would say to him, as long as I have breath in my body, every time he walks out of that prison, he will see my face putting him back in prison where he belongs.
“Till the day I die, I’m going to fight to make sure a monster like that never gets out of prison and does to another family what he did to mine,” she declared.
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