THE MOTHER OF two young boys killed by their father has said she is now part of a group of families of murder victims that are calling for tougher sentencing laws in Ireland.
Kathleen Chada’s sons Eoghan and Ruairi were killed by their father Sanjeev in July 2013.
The two young boys, aged 10 and five, were found dead in Mayo following a single-car crash near Westport. Their bodies were found in the boot of the vehicle.
The boys had been reported missing the previous evening and gardaí had issued a child rescue alert. Sanjeev Chada was sentenced to two life sentences in 2014.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Sean O’Rourke, Kathleen Chada said that she had gotten together with family members of other people who’d been killed to create Save – Sentencing and Victims Equality.
“It’s five of us who’ve been affected by murder,” she said. “But we’ve opened it up. We would love others who’ve been affected to get in touch with us and get on board. We want changes to sentencing.”
Chada described how she never thought Sanjeev, who she’d considered to be “one of the most honest people” she’d ever known and “very involved” in the community, would ever harm the boys.
Before he killed them, Kathleen said she discovered that Sanjeev had embezzled thousands of euro and had lost it gambling stocks. “I actually think it was the shame,” she said. “In his mind, he didn’t want Eoghan and Ruairi to know his true self, to lose that standing.”
Since the trial, Kathleen has not seen Sanjeev once. The last thing she said he said to her was “sorry”.
Despite his two concurrent life sentences, he will be eligible for parole after serving 10 years.
“If the judge had been in a position to say ‘serve a minimum of’, it would make life easier for me right now,” she said.
My fear is that I might literally bump into him. He might turn up and I might meet him at the grave… He’d be a foolish man to turn up in Ballinkillen again.
I know a life sentence continues. But not all life sentences are served. I’ve got a life sentence. I can’t get early release.
Kathleen went on to describe how she’s regularly visited a psychologist since losing her sons, while trying to go back to work, pay her mortgage and get on with life.
“It wasn’t grief counselling,” she said. “It was trauma. It was the surrealness, the shock. You exist, because you have to. I am very lucky in my family and friends, and work colleagues.
I can’t see why anyone can justify letting him out at any stage…. He doesn’t deserve to come out.
Kathleen Chada added that Save are looking for more people affected by murder to join their calls for tougher sentencing.
You can contact them on save.ie@hotmail.com or 087 125 2395.
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