| The Dream Solution
- Articles |
25/03/01
- 'Everyone knows those sisters murdered my alison...now they
may be tried again'
Sunday World Exclusive
by Larissa Nolan
THE Irish parents of a brutally murdered woman have been given
new hope that their daughter's killers may finally be brought
to justice. Jealous sisters Michelle and Lisa Taylor were convicted
of her murder, after a court heard that Michelle was having an
affair with Alison's husband John O'Shaughnessy.
But they were released on appeal a year later because it was felt
media coverage may have influenced the jury's decision. Now Alison's
parents Bobby and Breda Blackmore are hoping that proposed new
UK laws may allow the Taylors to be tried a second time. "There's
a possibility that the Taylors will be retried - and we are clinging
onto it with hope," said Breda from the family home in Piltown,
Kilkenny. "The Taylor sisters murdered Alison, we have no
doubt of that.
Everyone knows they are her killers."When they were first
convicted, we felt that justice had been done and we could let
our daughter rest in peace. "But then they were released
on appeal and we were devastated. It's so unfair - Alison is lying
in the local graveyard here while her killers are walking the
streets." However, two factors have given the Blackmores
reason to believe that the Taylors may face a retrial.
Firstly, a proposed change in UK law may mean that the 'double
jeopardy' rule - which states that a person cannot be tried on
the same crime twice - may be scrapped. If so, the murder of Alison
O'Shaughnessy will be one of only 200 cases to go forward for
assessment. New evidence will be required in order to put the
Taylors behind bars but advances in forensics may provide that.
Since September, police in the UK have been taking a fresh look
at Alison's case in the belief that it may throw up new clues.
Bobby (59) and Breda (57), are trying not to get carried away
with the possibility of putting the Taylors back in jail. "We
will see what comes out of it," said Bobby. "We're hopeful
that they will be brought to justice. "It may be quite a
while until the killers are retried, if ever.
But it is good to know that the case is still there and has not
been forgotten about. "Of course it would be difficult for
us to go through everything in court again - but we will to do
what it takes to get Alison's killers back behind bars. "We're
ready and willing to fight them all the way." In June, it
will be 10 years since pretty bank worker Alison O'Shaughnessy
was violently murdered just days before her first wedding anniversary.
To Alison, Michelle Taylor was a family acquaintance and even
attended her wedding to John O'Shaughnessy in Kilkenny in 1990.
But Michelle - then 18 - was said to be consumed by jealousy when
Alison married John. She and John had been having a relationship
prior to the wedding and the affair continued after the marriage.
They were even videoed kissing on the wedding day.
The affair carried on until finally in 1991, Michelle and her
sister Lisa ambushed Alison and stabbed her 54 times. But when
the two girls were initially jailed for life an investigation
was launched into the case after it was claimed that tabloid headlines
may have influenced the jury's decision. In June 1993, the Taylor
sisters were released in the Court of Criminal Appeal in London.
Afterwards the police issued a statement saying they were not
looking for anyone else in connection with the murder. Alison
and her parents were living in London at the time of her murder,
but the Blackmores moved back to their home town in South Kilkenny
soon afterwards. "Alison loved it in Piltown and spent all
her summers here. She was known and loved by everyone and the
whole town was in mourning for her. "She adored Kilkenny
so much that she even married here.
She is buried in Piltown graveyard as that is where she would
have liked to rest." Breda Blackmore says her pain is so
bad that she is unable to think too much about the details of
the case. "My mind will not let me think about what happened
to Alison, it is just too much for me to cope with. "I think
about my daughter every single day and pray for her - but I try
not to think about how she died. "It was so terrible that
it would drive you mad thinking about it.
For someone to do that to another person is just savage."
Instead, Breda concentrates on happy memories of their daughter's
21 short years on earth. "She was very beautiful, but also
very happy and bright," said Breda, looking up at a wedding
day picture of Alison on the wall of their home. "1 suppose
when I think of Alison I remember the last time I saw her - just
a day before she was killed.
We were all very close and she came to see us regularly. "She
had just been to Visit us and was in great form. Her wedding anniversary
was just a few days away and she was making plans for another
visit. "Of course, we could never have imagined what was
coming. It was just another normal day for the family." The
Blackmores have been torn apart by the tragedy, but helped and
supported each other through the tough times.
"I have three other children who are all grown up now, but
I have to keep going for them. All the family have been a great
help to us." The distraught mother also tries not to focus
on her daughter's killers. "After what they did, it would
be easy to become consumed by hatred.
But I make an effort to put them out of my head as again, it torments
me to think of them.." Breda and Bobby believe it is important
to keep Alison's memory alive and speak freely about their beloved
daughter. They don't want people to forget Alison, or to forget
what happened to her.
They want people to remember what the Taylors did to their beautiful
young daughter. "Alison would have been 31 now and she probably
would have given us grandchildren. "My other daughter Susan
has two kids and when I look at her I think about what Alison
would be like if she was alive." |
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