Court told Rose Lynch killed 'wholly innocent' man - sentenced to life.
50-year-old woman who shot dead an innocent man because she mistakenly believed he was involved in the murder of a Continuity IRA leader has been sentenced to life in prison. Rose Lynch told gardaí she "executed" David Darcy in November of 2011. The Special Criminal Court heard Mr Darcy was never involved in any criminal or subversive activity and was "totally blameless" and "wholly innocent". Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne said Lynch, who described herself as "an IRA volunteer", had not made any single expression of remorse for the murder of Mr Darcy. A Garda Detective Inspector described claims, made in a statement issued by the Continuity IRA following the murder, as "total lies". In a victim impact statement, Mr Darcy's partner and mother of their two children, said their home was never a safe house and she would never forgive Lynch for what she had done. In the Special Criminal Court this morning, Lynch pleaded guilty to five other gun and ammunition offences and a charge of membership of the IRA. She was sentenced to five and ten years respectively for the gun and ammunition charges and eight years for membership of the Real IRA. Yesterday, Lynch admitted she shot dead Mr Darcy outside his home in Ballyfermot on 28 November 2011. The court heard she told the gardaí she was an IRA volunteer and would die that way. She claimed that she alone shot the father-of-two as he was about to go to work using both a handgun and a shotgun. However, gardaí say they are absolutely satisfied that a man was with her. The Continuity IRA later issued a statement claiming the killing was a "military operation" on the house of a "criminal drugs gang", where the resident was involved in the shooting dead of Liam Kenny. Kenny was the dissident republican group's leader in Dublin. Detective Inspector Colm O'Malley described the statement as "total lies". He said Mr Darcy was a hardworking man, totally blameless, wholly innocent and the pseudo paramilitary organisation was mistaken. The inspector read victim impact statements to the court from Mr Darcy's partner, Amanda Haverty, who spoke of the pain of his death, the lies told about him and the great loss to her and their two children. His brother Mark described the killers as "excuses for human beings", who had no consideration and hoped the case would prevent something similar happening to other families. Father says son killed by 'cowards' Speaking on the steps of the Special Criminal Court, Mr Darcy's father, Henry, said that his son was killed for no reason and the killing was carried out by cowards. Mr Darcy called on witnesses to come forward to help gardaí in their investigation of others who may have been involved in the murder. He said: "It has been 15 months of pure misery since our son was taken from us for no reason absolutely, and for these people to come along with their hands up in the air, saying "It's for Ireland". It can't be. They're just cowards. "I'm asking people who have any information on the rest of the crowd who have done this to give it to the police, because they need evidence so that they can get the rest of them. "We do not want to see it happen to another mother, or father, or partner, or son or daughter or grandchildren. Please give information to the police." Gardaí renew appeal for information Gardaí have renewed their appeal for information about the murder, particularly anyone who may have seen a dark blue Opel Astra (99 CE 3047) around the time of the killing. It had been stolen five days before the shooting. Gardaí also want to speak to anyone who may have seen anything suspicious on Cherry Orchard Avenue or on Inagh Road on the morning of the murder. They are asked to contact Ballyfermot Garda Station on 01-6667200.
