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28 Apr
A heartbroken family is winning a battle to keep a monster killer behind bars on the 20th anniversary of their daughter’s brutal murder.
Nichola Sweeney was stabbed 11 times in a frenzied attack by evil Peter Whelan, 37, after voices in his head “told him to kill someone.” She was 20 years old.
Her best friend Sinead O'Leary was also stabbed 20 times by him, but miraculously survived the random attack at the Sweeney family home in Rochestown, Co Cork, on April 27, 2002.
Yesterday she was going away on a week’s holiday to try and forget the worst day of her life when she lost her best friend and almost died herself.
The horrific memory of that night has never left her.
But Sinead and the Sweeney family have been fighting a bitter battle to keep Whelan locked up.
He was put on an early release programme by the Parole Board and was granted a number of day releases from jail.
He even had the cheek to get the train down to Cork for the day after being freed from Wheatfield Prison, where he is serving his life sentence.
However, neither the Sweeney family or Sinead were informed that he was back in his home city and were horrified that they could have met him on the street, which would have caused them deep shock and distress.
After protests from Nichola’s family, the Parole Board has not yet moved to put Whelan in an open prison, which is the next stage of his rehabilitation.
A prison source said: “I know he had day releases, but there is no sign of him being freed any time soon.
“He will definitely do a few more years in jail before he is released. The authorities have to be absolutely sure he won’t re-offend and is not a danger to society.”
Whelan received a 15-year sentence for the attack on Sinead, on top of the life sentence for killing Nichola.
However, the Court of Criminal Appeal ruled he should serve the attempted murder sentence first before doing the life sentence as opposed to serving both sentences together.
Nichola’s brother Sean recently told an RTE documentary: "This killer should not be allowed in the area. I don’t want to be looking over my shoulder.
"No victims or families who have lost loved ones through murder should be left looking over their shoulders.
“They shouldn’t be left petrified.”
His parents John and Josephine have campaigned for the victims of crime to be informed when criminals are being freed - and for life sentences to mean life.
The Justice MInister Helen McEntee is now bringing forward new laws to allow judges implement a maximum jail term a killer must serve depending on the depravity of the case.