In the middle of the night on the 13th May, 2000, a flat in Ballymun was set alight. Inside, the body of Derek Benson was found. But his cause of death had nothing to do with the inferno in his bedroom. He had been brutally killed with a blade.
The garda investigation into his murder would not only identify his killers, but a litany of abuse and violence that would continue long after the trial had concluded.
This episode was researched and written by Aileen Spearin.
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Theme Music:
Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Additional Music: Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Sources:
“Revenge”, book by Ken Foxe
Barbara Clinton, “Gardai appeal for public help in murder probe”, Irish Examiner, May 15th 2000
“Ballymun killing a gangland message”, Evening Herald, May 15th 2000
Bernie O’Toole, “Copycat flat death man had horrific injuries”, Irish Independent, May 15th 2000
Caroline O’Doherty, “Plea for help in hunt for savage killer”, Irish Examiner, May 16th 2000
Caroline O’Doherty, “Witness to killing sought by gardai”, Irish Examiner, May 17th 2000
“Drugged, tortured and killed for £300”, Evening Herald, May 19th 2000
Caroline O’Doherty, “Man charged with murder of stabbed father”, Irish Examiner, May 19th 2000
Tom Brady, “Man charged after frenzied knife murder”, Irish Independent, May 19th 2000
“Woman brought in for questioning”, Irish Examiner, May 23rd 2000
Tim Healy, “Woman charged with flat murder”, Evening Herald, May 23rd 2000
Liz Walsh, “Hired sword death horror”, Jan 13th 2004
Liz Walsh, “Woman hired pub doorman to murder violent lover, court told”, Irish Independent, Jan 13th 2004
Liz Walsh, “Sword ran through man’s body from front to back”, Irish Examiner, Jan 13th 2004
Liz Walsh, “Murder victim beat partner and made threats”, Irish Independent, Jan 14th 2004
Liz Walsh, “Court told of brutal attacks”, Evening Herald, Jan 14th 2004
Liz Walsh, “Victim’s head was almost hacked off”, Evening Herald, Jan 15th 2004
Liz Walsh, “Killer tried to cut off head of victim”, Irish Independent, Jan 15th 2004
“Trial adjourned”, Irish Examiner, Jan 16th 2004
Liz Walsh, “Accused ate biscuits with sword victim”, Evening Herald, Feb 4th 2004
“Accused in psychiatric unit after murder, garda says”, Breakingnews.ie, Feb 4th 2004
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Liz Walsh, “Murder suspect smiled at killing”, Evening Herald, Feb 12th 2004
Liz Walsh, “Murder accused alleges years if sexual abuse”, Irish Independent, Feb 13th 2004
Liz Walsh, “Partner showed girl how to use drugs”, Irish Examiner, Feb 14th 2004
Liz Walsh, “Garda tells of assault by victim”, Evening Herald, Feb 17th 2004
“Murder trial hears evidence from accused’s sister”, Breakingnews.ie, Feb 17th 2004
“Murder victim assaulted my sister”, Evening Herald, Feb 18th 2004
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“Killing was self-defence”, Evening Herald, Feb 20th 2004
Paul Melia and Liz Walsh, “Lawyers for woman who murdered ex-partner plead for her early release”, Irish Independent, Feb 23 2004
Jim Clarke, “Life and death of a monster”, Evening Herald, Feb 23rd 2004
Liz Walsh, “Woman and hired killer get life for murdering partner”, Feb 23rd 2004
“Judge snubs murder sentences appeal bid”, Irish Independent, Feb 27th 2004
Alan O’Keeffe, “Monster dad lived and died by the sword”, Evening Herald, Apr 9th 2004
“Couple’s murder appeal rejected”, Irish Examiner, Jul 2nd 2005
“Murder charge for local girl”, Drogheda Independent, Jun 7th 2006
Brenda Heffernan, “Noble suffered from years of physical abuse by the age of 14”, Irish Independent, Mar 22nd 2007
Brenda Heffernan, “Killer Kelly joins her dad’s murderer behind bars”, Irish Independent, Mar 22nd 2007
Sorcha Griffith, “Woman who killed mum says sorry to her family”, Irish Independent, May 15th 2007
Caroline O’Doherty, “Woman gets 10 years for stabbing teen mother2, Irish Examiner, May 25th 2007
Melanie Finn, “Noble moved after jail row”, Evening Herald, Jun 2nd 2007
Cormac Looney, “Killer Kelly brought back to Mountjoy”, Evening Herald, Jul 19th 2007
Tim Healy, “Knife killer of young mother has sentence reduced”, Irish Independent, Feb 28th 2008
“Killer out early despite attack on prison officer”, Evening Herald, Sept 11th 2010
Nicola Donnelly, “Killer mum is caught with four knives as she went to a christening is locked up”, Evening Herald, Apr 23rd 2016
Alison O’Reilly, “I’ve done my time, but I can’t change what I did”, Extra.ie, Jan 6th 2018
Eamonn Dillon, “Contract killer Hopkins who butchered man with samurai sword walks free”, Evening Herald, Dec 23rd 2022