Killer given two life sentences for ‘unspeakable’ murders

A 23-year-old man has been given two life sentences for murdering two men in Sligo last year.

The court heard that Gardaí (police) believed Yousef Palani’s motivation “was to carry out murder due to prejudice against homosexuality.”

However, Palani, with an address at Markievicz Heights in Sligo, denied this was the case.

He pleaded guilty in July to the murders in Sligo of Aidan Moffitt on 10 April last year and Michael Snee two days later.

He further admitted intentionally causing serious harm to Anthony Burke on 9 April. Mr Burke was stabbed in the eye.

In his victim impact statement, Mr Burke called his attacker a “coward and a monster”.

The court heard that one murder victim was decapitated with 43 stab wounds.

The second man was stabbed 25 times mainly to his head, neck and chest.

Palani told Gardai (police) after his arrest that he suffered with mental health issues, the court heard.

He told Gardaí his victims had to be Irish and had to live alone when he sought them out under the pretence of dating.

He met his victims through a variety of social media messaging and gay dating apps.

“It would have to be their own house, and they had to be alone, you can’t be hurting kids or women,” he told arresting officers.

Mr Palani denied being in Anthony Burke’s house despite his semen from a previous consensual sexual encounter being found on a blanket there as well as evidence from seized phones that linked him to the victims.

Forensic evidence linked blood found on shoes and tracksuit bottoms in Palani’s house to both murder victims.

He told arresting officers: “I can get angry very quick” and denied he was gay, claiming homosexuality was “a sin, you wont find many Muslims gay and religious”.

He added: “I want to tell you at this time I was mentally ill, I heard voices, they told me to do it.

“My mum told me to visit the doctor,” he told Gardaí , adding there was “no specific reason” he killed the two men.

He said “Because of my religion I don’t hate gay people, it’s because of the voices.”

Police confirmed Palani had no previous convictions and a psychiatric report was not provided to Gardaí or the prosecution.

He also told officers he would’ve continued to kill if Gardai hadn’t stopped him.

In his victim impact statement, Mr Burke, who survived Palani’s attack, said due to the sight loss from being stabbed in the eye, he is limited in his job opportunities as he can no longer hold a HGV license.

He has suicidal thoughts and has gone through “a very dramatic change in my quality of life”.

“I have become an introvert and find it hard to be in large groups,” he said.

“I spent 49 years suppressing my sexuality, but had no choice when I was attacked due to my sexuality.”

Mr Burke said the manner in which his sexuality was revealed had a huge impact and strain on his family and friendships.

A victim impact statement from Mr Moffit’s family heard that he had a “smile and personality that lit up the world”.

“Family was so important to him, he was the best son he could be,” the statement said.

“Our family is lost in grief and forever heartbroken and empty, taken in his prime, we miss Aidan every hour of every day.”

One of the victim impact statements for Mr Snee came from Shannon McManus, his niece who found his body.

“Michael was a second dad, a best friend and amazing person,” her statement read.

“Michael was so loving soft and gentle and harmless, he would do anything to make me happy.

“The kind of person he was, he wanted the best for us. I am not the same carefree person I was, I never felt the need to look over my shoulder and now I will never be the same.

“Since walking in on the scene of finding Michael I have nightmares and flashbacks and imagine the fear he must’ve felt.

“I have been prescribed a sleep aid.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be free from this.”

Both families complained of media intrusion in the wake of their relative’s murder and requested privacy.

Sentencing Palani, Judge Ring said the violence perpetrated on the men was “unspeakable”.

“The right to privacy may end with the deceased, but the right to respect never goes,” he said.

“These three men, who were and are loved and cherished by their families and friends, I know that they were and are complete human beings of which their sexuality was just one part of who they are,” she said.

“Shame is borne of one person in this courtroom alone.

“These three men were proud and that’s how it should be.”

The judge sentenced Palani to two life sentences for the two murder charges and a 20 year sentence for the attack on Anthony Burke.

All sentences commenced on 13 April 2022 when he was first taken into custody.

Source: bbc.co.uk