Killer Who Photographed Victim's Corpse Sentenced

A fatal stabbing in Londonderry was recalled in court today when the man who murdered a 19-year-old - just hours after the teenager celebrated his birthday - was jailed for 20 years.

The killer, Paul James Morrin, 43, stabbed Gerald O'Hagan 15 times in Galliagh Park in February 2006.

During sentencing, the judge said Morrin had smoked over Mr O'Hagan's body after the "macabre" murder and even took photographs.

Mr O'Hagan's parents said their son had been the victim of an evil and unprovoked attack and they would die broken-hearted.

Morrin used a seven-inch blade to stab his victim 14 times in the back, and also wounded him in the neck.

During the trial the court heard that Morrin had even taken what the judge described as a "trophy photograph" of his victim's body on his mobile phone.

He told Morrin he was a "dangerous, devious and cruel little man, who carried out a macabre murder of a defenceless little boy".

Speaking after the trial, the O'Hagan family said justice had been done.

"The way in which Gerald died and the things that were done after his death, by this person, were truly indescribable. There is no end to this kind of pain," said the family.

"You can't just lose a son that you have loved and who has loved you for over 19 years, and ever expect to forget it or get over it."

Superintendent Nigel Kyle, said it was one of the worst murders he had dealt with: "In 2006 Gerald O'Hagan's parents suffered an unimaginable ordeal, the loss of their son, and they have borne that loss with great dignity.

"We hope today that our investigation which has led to the successful conviction will go some way to providing the family with a degree of solace," he said.

The murderer, an alcoholic has said he had no memory of the attack.

(BMcC)