MELISSA MAHON - Aged 15 years - Sligo (Eire)

hippy
Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:04 pm

Irish Independent

10/4/2008

43-year-old man arrested in connection with disappearance of missing girl

http://tinyurl.com/6j4ats

merlynsam
Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:16 pm

Thanks hippy.

Now we know the father of the two girls is in his forties:

"A local man in his forties, who claims to be a suspect, has denied being involved in a sexual relationship with the teen or having anything to do with her disappearance. "

so can we deduce that

(a) he is the 43 year old who has been arrested and
(b) that the body they recovered WAS Melissa?

hippy
Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:37 pm

Breaking News

10/4/2008

Man arrested in connection with Melissa Mahon disappearance

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/mhojqlauidql/rss2/

hippy
Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:39 pm

merlynsam wrote:Thanks hippy.

Now we know the father of the two girls is in his forties:

"A local man in his forties, who claims to be a suspect, has denied being involved in a sexual relationship with the teen or having anything to do with her disappearance. "

so can we deduce that

(a) he is the 43 year old who has been arrested and
(b) that the body they recovered WAS Melissa?

According to 'BreakingNews ie' the police are not confirming that it was Melissa's body.

pam supportfromireland
Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:18 am

No still awaiting results, more than 2 months now.

merlynsam
Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:38 am

hippy wrote:

merlynsam wrote:Thanks hippy.

Now we know the father of the two girls is in his forties:

"A local man in his forties, who claims to be a suspect, has denied being involved in a sexual relationship with the teen or having anything to do with her disappearance. "

so can we deduce that

(a) he is the 43 year old who has been arrested and
(b) that the body they recovered WAS Melissa?

According to 'BreakingNews ie' the police are not confirming that it was Melissa's body.

I know the police are 'not confirming' anything. I was suggesting that we might be able to DEDUCE from the information given so far.....

that

(a) he is the 43 year old who has been arrested and
(b) that the body they recovered WAS Melissa?

pam supportfromireland
Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:20 am

With caution Merly. I'm thinking the results will be very soon.

hippy
Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:05 am

Irish Examiner

11/4/2008

Man arrested in missing girl probe

http://tinyurl.com/5uvg95

pam supportfromireland
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 12:28 am

Eircom Ireland

12 April 2008

Man charged with murder of Sligo girl Melissa Mahon (14)

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/12606426?view=Eircomnet

pam supportfromireland
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 12:30 am

Melissa RIP sweetheart. It seems so final, hope the family get some solace from all the thoughts and prayers across the world, especially those in Sligo who have been helping since she went missing.

merlynsam
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:23 am

Pam, Is Ronnie McManus the father of the two girls who allege he sexually abused them - and they gave the tip off to the police?

I can't find the name of the father (or family) in any of the previous articles.

pam supportfromireland
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:40 am

Hi Merly for legal reasons I've only read his name can't be mentioned to protect the daughters. I haven't come across that name. The confusing thing is another Melissa in Sligo died in an accident and their family name is MacManus.

pam supportfromireland
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:43 am

I found this article that gives quite an insight into events as they allegedly happened.

Sligo Weekender

12 February 2008

"I didn't kill Melissa"

http://archives.tcm.ie/sligoweekender/2008/02/12/story34820.asp

pam supportfromireland
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:50 am

Thinking of Fred & Mary Mahon and their 9 remaining children at this time. I can't imagine the pain they're going through.

I will keep upto date where possible with any news on this in papers.

merlynsam
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 12:25 pm

pam supportfromireland wrote:I found this article that gives quite an insight into events as they allegedly happened.

Sligo Weekender

12 February 2008

"I didn't kill Melissa"

http://archives.tcm.ie/sligoweekender/2008/02/12/story34820.asp

Thanks Pam - that's the article I remember reading. It just says a 'man in his forties'.

However, I understand perfectly, now that you have pointed it out, that they would not name the man in order to safe-guard the daughters.

hippy
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:55 am

Congoo.com 15/4/2008

Missing Sligo girl - man charged with murder

http://www.congoo.com/news/addstorycomment.aspx?st=41359683&Channel_ID=65&Category_ID=235

pam supportfromireland
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 4:36 pm

Melissa is still on missingkids website ??

pam supportfromireland
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:31 pm

This article contains some distressing detail

Irish Independent

12 April 2008

Melissa Killing: Man charged

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/melissa-killing-man-charged-1345741.html

pam supportfromireland
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:27 pm

pam supportfromireland wrote:Melissa is still on missingkids website ??

I contacted the site and they have updated their records now.

Irish Independent

22 April 2009

Daughters to tell court dad threw girl's body into river

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/daughters-to-tell-court-dad-threw-girls-body-into-river-1715209.html

RTE News Ireland

22 April 2009

Dunbar access to teen was restricted

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0422/mahonm.html

Eircom News Ireland

22 April 2009

HSE (Health Service Executive) obtained court order preventing murder-accused having access to victim


A jury has heard that the Health Service Executive obtained a court order to prevent the man accused of murdering 14-year-old Melissa Mahon from having access to her in the days leading up to her disappearance.

Ronald McManus (aged 44), also known as Ronnie Dunbar, of Rathbraughan Park, Sligo denies murdering the schoolgirl on a date between September 14 and 30, 2006. He also denies threatening to kill one of his daughters during the same period.

Social worker, Catherine Farrelly, told the Central Criminal Court that on September 7, 2006 she applied to the District Court for a care order and an order under section 47 of the Child Care Act preventing the accused from having access to her without the prior consent of the HSE.

Ms Farrelly said Melissa left her family home having made allegations of abuse against her parents and had been spending a large amount of time with the accused and his daughters in the summer of 2006. She said Melissa had come to regard the Dunbar's family as her own and regularly went missing from the care home in which she was placed by the HSE.

She was last seen by Ms Farrelly at a HSE facility on the morning of September 14 and was later seen by other HSE staff heading in the direction of the Rathbraughan estate.

Her remains were found on the shore of Lough Gill in February 2008.

Ms Farrelly told Isobel Kennedy SC, prosecuting, that she became involved with the Mahon family in April or May 2006. Melissa was unhappy and missing school.

Ms Farrelly made arrangements to meet Melissa and her mother on dates in August
2006 to discuss her education but they were postponed by Mrs Mahon. Melissa had been missing from her family home of two and a half weeks before Ms Farrelly was made aware of that on August 22.

The social worker said Melissa was thought to be with the accused man so she went to his house with a garda on August 22. He said he did not know where Melissa was and was very concerned about her.

The following day the accused turned up at Markievicz House where Ms Farrelly worked. He told her he had contacted Melissa she would be in touch. Ms Farrelly said that at that stage the accused was the only link they had to Melissa.

She said that the accused described Melissa as "a very hurt and very frightened human being" and he wanted to know why the authorities had not been looking for her earlier.

The next day the accused said Melissa was willing to meet Ms Farrelly under four conditions. They were that no gardai would be present; that the accused and his daughter would be there; that they would travel to meet her in the accused man's car to an undisclosed location; and that Melissa would be in touch to communicate the location.

Ms Farrelly told the court that she agreed unhappily when the accused said Melissa would disappear if she saw another car approaching.

The court heard that the accused drove to a wooded area in county Sligo by what Ms Farrelly felt was a "circuitous route". There she spoke to Melissa about going into the Lis na Nog residential care centre. Ms Farrelly said the accused also encouraged Melissa to go into care but she was reluctant.

Ms Farrelly and the accused left her in the woods after she refused to go with them and told them she would contact the accused within half an hour to let them know she was safe.

Ms Farrelly said that she received a phone call at work the next day from a Mr McManus and later learned that he was Mr Dunbar.

Ms Farrelly said that after discussions with her colleagues and gardai it was decided that the accused should keep in contact with Melissa and encourage her to go into care. Mr Dunbar later rang Ms Farrelly and said Melissa was willing to comply.

She was placed in Lis na nÓg on August 28 but continued to go missing to spend time with the accused. Ms Farrelly said that Melissa was not getting a chance to settle in or allow staff to engage with her in a therapeutic way.

Ms Farrelly said the accused was called to a meeting in the care home on September 6 to discuss Melissa's inability to settle but he left the facility with Melissa before he was called into the meeting.

The following day court orders were sought and the accused was made aware of them. Ms Farrelly said Melissa and was "very quietly upset".

She again went missing and was found by gardaí with other young people in an empty house. Ms Farrelly said foster care was then arranged as she was considered to be increasingly at risk.

She was taken to a foster family's home but left near midnight barefooted. Ms Farrelly was called to a house where she found Melissa crying and very upset.

Melissa was concerned that the accused would be worried about her and was allowed by Ms Farrelly to send him a text message.

Ms Farrelly took her to Manor Hamilton Garda Station in the early hours of September 14 and they spent the night there. In the morning Ms Farrelly bought her fresh clothes and left her to change in the toilets of Markievicz House. Ms Farrelly left her to make a call about her foster care but Melissa was gone when she returned. Ms Farrelly did not see Melissa again.

Ms Farrelly said that on October 10, 2006 after gardaí had searched his house, the accused rang her. He was angry that it had not been publicised that Melissa had been the care of the HSE at the time of her disappearance.

Ms Farrelly agreed with Brendan Grehan SC, defending, that a thread going through her contact with the accused was that he felt the authorities had failed Melissa.

She also agreed that during the meeting at the clearing in the woods Melissa had made allegations about sexual abuse by her father and violence from her mother. Mr Dunbar's daughter had said at that meeting that Melissa had marks on her back where she had been burned with cigarettes and Melissa had agreed.

Ms Farrelly said she was aware that similar complaints about Melissa's father had been made by other Mahon children in the UK where they had previously lived. Ms Farrelly said that nothing had been proved and the last complaint was in 1992.

She also agreed with Mr Grehan that Melissa's mother was negative about Melissa rejoining the family following the allegations and had threatened to beat her if she saw her.

She agreed with counsel that Melissa's behaviour deteriorated in care. She had been found sniffing gas and on one occasion threatened to cut herself when approached by gardaí.

Ms Farrelly agreed that when Melissa ran from her foster home she was asked for her father's phone number and gave the accused's number and she was upset with Ms Farrelly because she had stopped her contact with the only person who cared about her.

The trial is expected to hear from the accused's daughter who will say that she saw Melissa on a bed with her father. She will say he had his arm around Melissa's neck and tied her into a sleeping bag before throwing her into the River Bonnet in Sligo.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Barry White and a jury of six men and six women. It is expected to continue for five weeks.


http://news.eircom.net/breakingnews/15473226/?view=Standard

Irish Independent

28 April 2009

Photo of accused found under girl's pillow

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0427/mahonm.html

Please be aware that this article is distressing to read. The trial is being judged by one of the most famous top judges in Ireland.

Irish Independent

2 May 2009

"I saw Dad sleeping with Melissa"

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/i-saw-dad-sleeping-with-melissa-1726737.html

Irish Times

5 May 2009

Daughter tells court it was murder

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0506/1224245993645.html