A 32-year-old man has been handed a life sentence for the murder of his mother in Cavan last year.
32-year-old Danny Heyneman pleaded guilty in April to murdering his mother Annie Heyneman and attempting to murder his father Henk Heyneman at their West Cavan home
He was a given 6 years of a sentence for the attempted murder charge of his father which will run consecutive to the life sentence.
Last month in court, 55-year-old Annie Heyneman was described “as the glue that held the extended family together”.
During that sitting in the central criminal court, evidence of that tragic night was before the court and some family members also got an opportunity to share how the murder has had such a profound impact on their lives.
In a victim impact statement read to the court by Annie’s husband Henk, he said did not just lose his wife that night but also a son that, adding that “Danny was no longer my son from that night in January 2025”.
He said he remembers it all the time, adding he still feels the pain and he spoke of the 25 injuries that he sustained that night and he also said he had 6 broken bones. He outlined his very difficult medical journey that continues. He said “physically I have many scars and mentally I am not okay”.
He also outlined the life he had lived with Annie, he said they were married for 33 years, adding she was a wonderful support to so many.
A impact statement read out on behalf of Annie’s daughter said “words cannot capture the pain.”The events of January 11th 2025 will haunt me forever”. She said how can you feel safe in the world when your own brother could do such a thing. “That support of mum is now gone, she was our shield. “The trauma of that night will live on for generations. “Before that night we had a family of 7 we now have a family of 5 and it could have been 4”.
Her sister Eillen Kielty said Annie was a real lost to the entire community adding “I feel her every minute of the day from waking up to trying to go to sleep. The impact of her death is devastating. She said Annie was the glue that held the entire extended family together. “We now struggle to navigate the world without her.
Another sister Noreen Maguire who grew up alongside Annie spoke of the close bond she had with Annie throughout all her life. “I still struggle to comprehend that she’s gone. “My heart sinks for the family that have to live their lives without her”. She said she “would never understand how a son could do this to his mother and leave such devastation behind him. “He could have saved us extra pain by pleading guilty last year and not 15 months later”.
A statement was also read out that day by Keith Spencer BL, representing Danny Heyneman on behalf of him apologising for his actions. “I’m sorry to my family, I have not spent a day without feeling guilt for what I have done to mam. He said he was fully aware of his action and said “I miss you all and I am sorry”.
Today in courtroom number 20, justice Tony Hunt described the impact statement as very moving and highlighted the profound loss of Annie to the family, her friends and her community.
He said the fact was that this was an extraordinary level of violence in what was supposedly be a safe place, the family home.
Judge Hunt said it was clear that an argument and dispute took place that night adding that it was a shocking tragedy for all concerned.
He said the family home should have been a safe place for both Annie and Henk and he described what happened that night as a huge catastrophic loss.
Judge Hunt went on to say that the trauma was profound and permanent on all the family.
The court was told prior that there was incidents of self-harm and how Danny Heyneman was admitted to psychiatric units during that period.
During that evidence, the court was told alcohol abuse was a problem and we also heard how Mr Heyneman was fixated that he was being watched and being listened to on devices.
The court heard how Henk Heyneman escaped from the house on that night and raised the alarm with a near by neighbour on his road. He asked his neighbour to call 999 and not to let anyone near the family home.
Annie was pronounced dead that night at her family home and Danny was arrested in near by Ballyconnell.
A post mortem that was carried out by Professor Linda Mulligan on the 13th of January 2025 found that Annie Heyneman’s death was caused by multiple stab wounds. The court was told that she was stabbed up to 14 times.
A medical report highlighted that Henk Heyneman had 26 injuries sustained to his body, the report highlighted complex fractures that he sustained and how he had a long road to recovery and how that recovery is ongoing to this very day. It was highlighted that Henk has ongoing issues surrounding sleep, stress and social anxiety.
The court was also told that Danny Heyneman had no previous convictions.
In the days following the incident, friends and neighbours attempted to rally around the family by holding a major online fundraising drive in a bid to provide financial assistance and to honour the legacy of one of the locality’s most affable of characters.
In mitigation, Judge Hunt said that a guilty plea was entered be it at a later stage. He said Mr Heyneman had no previous convictions and did suffer with mental health problems in the past. He said Mr Heyneman thought he was being listened to by devices.
The judge said there was expressions of remorse and he had offered an apology in court previously.
He said he had accepted Daniel Heyneman was intoxicated at the time, but he did not accept he had little memory of that night.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt in handing down the sentence this morning in courtroom number 20 of the Central Criminal Court.
He said an consecutive sentence needed to be imposed and he first sentenced Danny Heyneman to 6 years in prison for the attempted murder of his father and when that is completed he will serve a life sentence for the killing of his mother.
The judge said he realised balances were difficult to strike in cases like this one before him and said were thankfully rare and he wished the family well in the future.
