Northern Ireland

Dornan family finally get justice "for our beautiful Jennifer" but mother says she can never forgive killer

Family and friends of Jennifer Dornan embrace after Raymond O'Neill (43) was found guilty of her murder. Picture by Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker
Family and friends of Jennifer Dornan embrace after Raymond O'Neill (43) was found guilty of her murder. Picture by Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Family and friends of Jennifer Dornan embrace after Raymond O'Neill (43) was found guilty of her murder. Picture by Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

THE family of Jennifer Dornan said yesterday they had "finally got justice" after a west Belfast man was found guilty of her murder in 2015.

Raymond O'Neill (43) denied stabbing the mother-of-three and then setting fire to the bedroom of her home in Lagmore, Dunmurry.

But a jury unanimously convicted him of murdering the 30-year-old and arson.

Members of Ms Dornan's family clapped and cheered in court as the verdicts were announced.

O'Neill, with an address previously at Amcomri Street. will serve an automatic life sentence with the tariff to be set at a later date.

Raymond O'Neill has been found guilty of the murder of mother-of-three Jennifer Dornan
Raymond O'Neill has been found guilty of the murder of mother-of-three Jennifer Dornan Raymond O'Neill has been found guilty of the murder of mother-of-three Jennifer Dornan

Ms Dornan's mother Teresa and sister Claire, who attended every day of the eight-week trial along with other relatives, said: "After seven long years we have finally got justice for our beautiful Jennifer."

Mrs Donnelly - who is now the guardian of her daughter's three children Martin (15), Jayden (13) and ten-year old Abbie - she could never forgive him for leaving her three grandchildren without their mother.

But she spoke of her relief that the "predator" would be behind bars for a long time.

Recalling her daughter as "a wonderful and beautiful person" she said: "She was so caring, she was just the best daughter to me and the best mummy to her three kids.

"She was the most bubbly, friendly girl I have ever known. She would brighten up a dull, dull day - that was just her."

Jennifer Dornan
Jennifer Dornan Jennifer Dornan

During the eight-week trial, the court was told by O'Neill that he had no memory of the night Ms Dornan was killed due to a stroke in October 2016.

He also claimed he had no memory of travelling to Bundoran in Co Donegal in the days following Ms Dornan's murder.

He said he could not recall being a passenger in a car that picked up Ms Dornan from her home on the Saturday evening, and had no memory of them both being present at a house in Lagmore Avenue in the early hours of the Sunday before she was killed.

A man had been captured on CCTV climbing Ms Dornan's fence about 20 minutes after she returned to the property.

<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Family and friends of Jennifer Dornan embrace after Raymond O'Neill (43) was found guilty of her murder. Picture by&nbsp;Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker</span>
Family and friends of Jennifer Dornan embrace after Raymond O'Neill (43) was found guilty of her murder. Picture by Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Family and friends of Jennifer Dornan embrace after Raymond O'Neill (43) was found guilty of her murder. Picture by Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

The same man was filmed climbing back over the fence and leaving the area, about an hour later.

Also during the trial, the former partner of O'Neill's nephew told the court she had overheard him saying: "I killed someone."

She added that she heard O'Neill saying "it was the drink and drugs that made me do it".