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Jury Makes Six Recommendations Following Mark Hennessy's Death

Emma Tyrrell
Emma Tyrrell

06:09 24 Jan 2020


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The jury in the inquest into the death of Jastine Valdez's killer has made a series of recommendations for Gardaí and the Civil Defence.

40-year-old Mark Hennessy abducted and killed the 24-year old student two years ago, before being shot dead.

After three days of evidence, the jury spent close to an hour and a half deliberating last night before returning a narrative verdict, stating the facts in the case.

They have made six recommendations following Mark Hennessy's death, which will be sent to Gardaí and the civil defence.

They include one clear communications channel in emergency situations, the appointment of a post incident manager for such events, a recommendation all Gardaí receive emergency response training and that the civil defence should review their procedures in response to emergency situations.

Mark Hennessy was shot dead by a Garda while sitting in his car in Cherrywood in Dublin in May 2018, a day after he abducted and killed 24-year-old Jastine Valdez from Enniskerry in Wicklow.

The Garda who shot his gun said that he fired his gun because he believed the victim was at "imminent risk of death".

'Garda A' told the inquest earlier this week that his stomach dropped when he realised Jastine Valdez was not in Mark Hennessy's car after he shot him.

Dublin City Coroner, Dr. Myra Cullinane said the lives of two families had been changed "irreparably" by those events in May 2018.

She said the events were "exceptionally unusual in our society" and that the public had been very moved by Jastine Valdez's plight.

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