Ireland

Mother of murder victim Danielle McLaughlin concerned about security in Goa courts

Andrea Brannigan-McLaughlin is concerned about security arrangements at the trial of the man accused of raping and murdering her daughter Danielle. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
Andrea Brannigan-McLaughlin is concerned about security arrangements at the trial of the man accused of raping and murdering her daughter Danielle. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin Andrea Brannigan-McLaughlin is concerned about security arrangements at the trial of the man accused of raping and murdering her daughter Danielle. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

THE mother of Donegal murder victim Danielle McLaughlin has expressed concern about security around the man accused of her killing.

The body of the Buncrana woman found in a remote field in Goa in western India in 2017.

It emerged the 28-year-old had been raped and murdered.

Ms McLaughlin’s family has been told that the trial of local man Vikhat Bhagat (24) for her murder could last more than five years.

The victim's mother, Andrea Brannigan-McLaughlin, said she is concerned about security arrangements after two recent cases in which men accused of rape escaped while attending court.

A man who was charged with raping a UK woman fled a court last week.

Mrs Brannigan-McLaughlin said: “In December of last year there was somebody escaped from Goa who had been accused of a gang rape and then on Friday, in a courthouse that the accused in Danielle’s case goes to, somebody else escaped.”

The Buncrana woman said defendants are not routinely handcuffed when they appear in court in Goa.

She said she also found it difficult to see the man accused of her daughter’s murder enjoying contact with his family that she did not have with her daughter.