Lifelong trauma caused by evil postman who killed mum & kids at Xmasfamily’s fight to keep rapist jailed & psycho truth

THE brother of a woman murdered alongside her two daughters says the horrors they suffered will stay with the family forever.

Brave John Whelan recently met with the Parole Board as part of the battle to keep evil Brian Hennessy behind bars.

[Man with a white beard and glasses wearing a black jacket and crossing his arms.]

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[Brian Hennessy, a man with light brown hair, handcuffed and wearing a dark suit, is escorted by two police officers in light blue uniforms.]

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[A young child with blond hair and blue eyes wearing pink glasses and a pink turtleneck.]

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[A smiling young girl in a denim dress, glasses, and a tiara stands in a grassy yard.]

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His sister, Sharon Whelan, was targeted by vile postman Hennessy at her home in Windgap, Co Kilkenny, on Christmas Day 2008.

Monster Hennessy broke into the house and raped the 30-year-old, with whom he only had a passing acquaintance, before strangling her.

He then set the property alight, claiming the lives of Sharons doting children Zarah, seven, and two-year-old Nadia.

Outlining the impact of wicked Hennessys crimes to the Parole Board, grieving John explained: It was the beginning of a lifelong trauma that continues to shape every part of our lives.

[A young woman with long, reddish-brown hair and a black leather jacket smiles in front of a tree.]

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[A stone house with smoke billowing from its roof and missing sections of its walls, next to a black barn, with a forest in the background.]

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The brutality of what happened to them is something we carry every day.

It affects our sleep, our mental health, our relationships, and our ability to feel safe in the world. There is no part of our lives untouched by what was done.

Grieving John sat down with The Irish Sun as he waits for the Parole Board to make a decision on Hennessys future.

It is the third time he has made submissions  once in written form and twice in person in recent years as the 43-year-old continues his attempts to walk free from Dublins Arbour Hill Prison.

Although the Whelan family is informed each time the brute is taken from the jail for hospital appointments, they do not know if Hennessy has engaged in any rehabilitation behind bars.

John explained that they feel the triple murderer still represents a major danger to society and his release would leave his family, including his elderly parents, living in constant fear.

‘LEVEL OF ANXIETY’

John, a psychotherapist and counsellor, told us: The level of anxiety is there because every time you sit down and meet with the Parole Board every couple of years, it is nearer the release and we dont know when thats going to be.

We dont even know how they make that decision. I dont know has Brian Hennessy ever been assessed for psychopathy.

“I know from my training, lived experience and professional experience that theres no evidence to suggest psychopaths can be rehabilitated.

We need to know how that decision is made. And who makes that decision for public safety  the public need to know exactly how that decision is made.

REHAB TO A POINT

“We dont know what Brian Hennessy is engaged with, what rehabilitation stuff he is engaging with.

So as far as were concerned, hes the same guy that went in. Whats to say he has changed?

And the fact that I, myself personally, and we as a family have been campaigning to keep him in for so long, the worry is if he did ever get out, what would happen if he decided to act on that?

John believes in rehabilitation but up to a certain point.

‘TOTAL LACK OF EMPATHY’

He said people have to remember exactly what Hennessy did he murdered Sharon before he waited for hours in her home before he decided to set it alight, a blaze that killed her daughters.

John told us: When you go into the mind of Brian Hennessy, where theres a total lack of empathy, let anyone that reads this decide whether his acts are of someone who can be rehabilitated or whether theyre of a psychopath.

Because there was no empathy, it was all about self-preservation. I would draw the line where it slides into that world of psychopaths.

“Not to be overly dramatic, but in my opinion thats what Hennessy and his ilk are.

‘HEAVY EMOTIONAL BURDEN’

I havent seen evidence that they can be rehabilitated. Anywhere.

Sharons brother said the triple murder changed his whole world view, in which everything became less vivid and less joyful.

And he told how the constant fight to keep Hennessy in prison has placed a heavy emotional burden on their elderly parents, Nancy and Christy.

John told us: No parent should have to carry that fear, especially at their age. It has all affected my parents really, really badly. They are elderly now.

‘ALL THAT STOPPED’

They were very outgoing and very social, going to the dances and all that type of thing. But since that happened, all that stopped.

Hennessy was handed three life sentences in 2009, with the terms to run consecutively.

However, this was overturned on appeal, with Hennessys sentence lessened as it was ruled the terms should instead run concurrently.

A cruel luxury afforded to those sentenced to life in Ireland is that, in reality, they can begin looking for parole after just 12 years and reapply every 24 months if they were unsuccessful.

IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION

It means that Hennessy will be freed one day.

And John told us: That day will come. The Parole Board asked me how would I feel about his release if that day ever came.

And I said thats an impossible question for me to answer. I honestly dont know. I shouldnt be in a position where I have to answer that question.

If this particular case happened in any other jurisdiction, in a majority of countries, youd be looking at a whole life tariff.

‘WRONG MESSAGE’

And here we are, having to fight to keep him in after 12 years. Its terrible.

“With all due respect to your profession, sometimes when I read in the paper jailed for life or life behind bars it sends the wrong message out to the general public that are unfamiliar with the law.

The truth is its 12 years before he can fight for parole.

John felt he was listened to at the latest Parole Board meeting but he feels the system must change.

‘NOT A FAIR SYSTEM’

He added: It is not a fair system because we go through this every two years and its really traumatising every time we do it.

Im fairly qualified to talk about what trauma is and what it isnt, and how it works and how it affects people, because its affecting me and the family.

“I made that point and they acknowledged that and they understood it.

But theyre kind of saying you dont really have to come in person if its going to be difficult.

‘WE’RE NOT GOING TO WIN’

“The point I made there was that, well, if I dont, Im not fighting for Sharon and the girls. You know, I might as well be doing nothing.

Because a day will come where another family has to have this conversation, a day will come when he will be released.

Were fighting a war and were not going to win. We can try and win one battle at a time. So thats exactly the mindset I went into with this and thats what I told them as well.

John, also the co-founder of the Sentencing and Victim Equality Group, told how his sister was the centre of their family whose life revolved around her two children.

The last time he spoke to her was three days prior to her death.

John recalled: She rang me on the December 22 to see if my two boys had this specific game for the Playstation. She didnt want to double up in the presents. Thats the way shed be thinking.

And paying tribute to Sharon, John added: Kids were a huge part of her life. Family was hugely important to her. She was lively and great fun to be around. She was just a firecracker.