Daughter of teen murdered 13 years ago makes emotional appeal for information to help put killer “behind bars”

22.11.2020 Story David Raleigh. Alan Hannan at the graveside of his son Jeffrey who was murdered 13 years ago this Sunday. Alan has made a formal complaint to the Limerick City coroner over the fact that a full inquest into his son’s death has not been held 13 years after his murder in Southill. Photograph Liam Burke/Press 22
A daughter of a young man hacked to death with an axe, in an unprovoked attack, today made an emotional appeal for information on her father’s 13th anniversary.
Nikita Hannan, (14), from Limerick city, said she still has hope the killer/killers will be brought to justice, despite gardai not charging anyone in connection with the slaying.
Her father Jeffrey Hannan (19) was butchered on a green area near hid former home in O’Malley Park, Southill, on November 22, 2007.
Gardai believe the savage attack was unprovoked and have said that Jeffrey had no involvement in crime or violence.
Nikita Hannan, who was just a year old when her father was killed, said people with information about the murder could “end our heartache”.
Appealing for witnesses to offer up information on those involved in the death, she said: “My family have been through enough and we want justice.”
“We pass his killer in the street, we want him behind bars, maybe that will bring some relief to our broken hearts.”

The heartbroken teenager has been crying her eyes out for days thinking of her “daddy”.

“My heart is broken and I’m just in bits over it,” she added.

Persons linked to the main suspect have “laughed into my face” she claimed.

“I pass them on the street and I try to stay strong. I was coming back from the grave the other day and they were laughing at me.”

On Sunday, Jeffrey’s father, Alan Hannan, retraced the short distance from his former workplace, Southill House, to the spot where his son’s battered and broken body was found.

Mr Hannan has undertaken the lonesome pilgrimage on his son’s anniversary so he will “never forget” his promise to Jeffrey that he will fight for justice until his last breath.Despite gardai attesting 20 persons, no one has been charged in connection with the killing.

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Jeffrey was bludgeoned to death after stopping off to chat and have a few drinks with others at a bonfire on his way home from a house party in the Southill estate.

His body was then dragged across a green, and dumped at a wall overlooked by his then family home.

His family have long since moved out of the estate, because of the trauma of what happened there.

Earlier on that morning, Alan Hannan Walker to work passing the green area where, unbeknown to him, Jeffrey’s body lay in the fresh dew.

At around 10.45am “a feeling” came over him and he “left the job and started walking back home”.

At this stage, the green where Jeffrey’s body was found, had been cordoned off by gardai.

Before he even reached the green, local intelligence reached Alan about what had had happened, and who was responsible.

“It was like a punch to my stomach. I couldn’t really believe what was happening, it was like a dream, a nightmare, but I was awake,” said Alan.

On his yearly pilgrimage through the Southill estate he prays to god he will get justice.

“I talk to Jeffrey as I walk, I tell him that I’m not forgetting him, that I’m still fighting for justice, and that I will never give up.”

“It obviously brings it back in my mind, but it also helps to remind me that I won’t ever stop seeking justice.”

Alan said he had lost faith in the Garda investigation after the first few years went by and no one was charged.

Frustratingly, despite some potentially key witnesses coming forward, gardai have not been able to charge the main suspect and others who it is alleged were involved on the night.

In September last year, a senior Garda ordered a review of the murder investigation.

Despite this, no further arrests have been made.

This review is “ongoing”, a Garda spokeswoman said.

Last week Mr Hannan made a formal complaint to the office of the Limerick City Coroner over the fact that a full inquest into his son’s death has still not been held.

An inquest was opened in June 2008 but was immediately adjourned because of an ongoing garda investigation.

In a letter of formal complaint to the coroner’s office Jeffrey’s father stated: “It is very disappointing for our family to have to live with this, and it has had a very big impact on both myself and my wife to this day.”

“It’s only worse it is getting, and it is frustrating that a full inquest has not been carried out.”

Mr Hannan went on to express his disappointment with a lack of progress in the Garda investigation and the lack of information in relation to whether or not his son’s inquest will ever be held.

“Surely as a citizen of the State I am entitled to a full and proper inquest,” Mr Hannan declared.

An informed source said an inquest cannot be adjourned at infinitude, and that, should the Hannan inquest be re-scheduled and further adjourned, it must be adjourned to a specific date.

Gardai are understood to be awaiting the results of DNA analysis, using advanced latest DNA profiling technology, on some items which may prove to be the key to unlocking the 2007 murder enquiry.

It is likely they will seek to have a full inquest adjourned, while the garda investigation remains open.

Mr Hannan said it is well known in the Limerick Garda Division as well as wider sections of the community who murdered his son, however the DPP has decided that gardai do not have enough evidence to charge anyone.

The Coroner’s office could not be reached for comment.
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