LAST UPDATE | 29 Oct 2019
THE HEARING TO determine the sentences for the two boys convicted of Ana Kriegel’s murder has been adjourned until next Tuesday morning.
The sentencing hearing has been taking place at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
The two, known as Boy A and Boy B, murdered Ana in an abandoned house in Lucan on 14 May 2018. She was 14 at the time.
Earlier today, Geraldine Kriegel, the mother of Ana Kriegel, told a court that ‘our lives have been destroyed’ by the murder of her 14-year-old daughter.
Geraldine Kriegel told the court that life without Ana “is no longer a life. It is a misery we must endure for the rest of our lives”.
She described her daughter as “the love of our lives” and said she was “wild, wonderful, electric”.
“We agonised for so many years through the adoption process waiting for her,” Geraldine Kriegel’s statement said. “She brought us everything we dreamed of for all those years.”
“The happiest day of our lives was 10 August 2006, the day the court declared we could become Ana’s parents.”
She described the “panic, the dread, the agonising wait” when Ana went missing.
“On Monday 14 May, Ana didn’t come home. The cold fear we felt knowing she was in danger. Something or someone prevented her coming home.”
“Hours turned into days. We didn’t know where she was or what happened to her, but somebody did. Somebody knew.”
“The saddest day of our lives was 17 May. Words no parents ever wants to hear: ‘We are so sorry’.”
“Our precious little girl’s body was found. There’s no way to describe how that feels.”
“Nobody could understand the evil laying in wait for her. How could any child imagine in their worst nightmares the danger that lay ahead? She wanted to live and she was not permitted to do that. Our lives have been destroyed.”
Geraldine described the “cold fear” that she and her husband experience which “brings all the horror back.”
“Imagine the terror, the pain she endured,” she said. “That will live with us all our lives. We lie awake at night thinking about when she realised she was going to be killed, the horrendous and sadistic violation of her pure and innocent body.”
“To think she was left to rot for 3 days, it’s unbearable. It’s unhuman.”
She told the court that Ana was “just a little girl with so many hopes and dreams. Her dream was to build a hotel.”
“Her plans, her future [have been] shattered. We’ve lost our child. There are no words. She loved her life. She embraced what life brought her. She was kind to everyone.”
“There is such emptiness in our lives.”
“Ana’s death is irreversible. We are a broken family.”
Geraldine said that Ana told her parents she loved them every night before bed.
“She kissed us and said, always in French, ‘Good night, sleep tight, have beautiful dreams. I love you.’ She cannot do that anymore. We cannot tell you how badly it hurts.”
The sentencing hearing is expected to last for the rest of the day.
Boy A’s grandfather
The grandfather of Boy A also spoke to the court today, telling it:
“I would like to give my utter sympathy to the family and cannot imagine how devastating their loss is for them. The death of a child is a parent’s worst nightmare especially so given the horrific circumstances.”
He went on:
“Having listened to Mrs Kriegel who spoke so eloquently, what I have here does not go close to what she can say about Ana.
“I would like to offer our sincerest regret and remorse. I know [Boy A] is so sorry for what happened and wishes it never occurred. I’m a retired teacher. Most of my career was spent with boys between the ages of 11 and 13.
“This can be a difficult time for boys mentally and physically as they prepare for secondary school. Some boys can be difficult to manage but [Boy A] was one of the majority. He loved practicals, nothing pleased him more than making models for his projects.
“I am personally totally heartbroken he could have been involved in such a terrible act. [Boy A] was and is a loving caring child who was never in trouble for any reason
“There will be a major gap in all our lives. Our lives have been turned upside down.”
Details
Earlier, the court heard that Boy A has told staff at Oberstown detention centre that he killed Ana, but does not accept that he sexually assaulted her.
In a report taken at Oberstown by healthcare professionals since his conviction, Boy A said that he understands that he caused Ana’s death.
Prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan told the court that in the report, Boy A describes how he used a headlock, a chokehold, hit Ana with a stick and ultimately with a block.
With reporting by Christine Bohan
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