The Daily Star Ireland
A 40-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Lisa Thompson, who was brutally killed in her Ballymun home in May 2022. Brian McHugh, from Cairn Court, Poppintree, was found guilty last month by a jury, which delivered a unanimous verdict after three-and-a-half hours of deliberation.
During the sentencing hearing, Ms Thompson’s family spoke of the devastating impact her loss has had on their lives. Her sister, Ashley Duckett, acknowledged that Lisa had been struggling before her death but emphasized that this did not define her life.
Ms Thompson’s two children, who were 12 and 13 years old at the time of her murder, shared heartbreaking victim impact statements. Her daughter told McHugh that he hadn’t just taken their mother’s life but had destroyed her own and her brother’s world. She described feeling as if half of her heart had been lost with her mother. Ms Thompson’s son spoke of the deep sorrow that her death had caused, leaving an irreplaceable void in their lives and throughout the entire family.
Outside the courthouse, her friends Susan Browne and Samantha McCormack remembered Lisa as a devoted mother and a kind-hearted neighbor who always looked out for those around her.
Brutal Murder and Trial Evidence
Lisa Thompson’s body was discovered in her home at Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun, on May 10, 2022, after neighbors became concerned for her welfare. She had suffered 11 stab wounds to the chest, and a window blind cord was wrapped around her neck.
CCTV footage from the early hours of May 9, 2022, showed McHugh approaching her house, and forensic evidence confirmed that his DNA was found on the cord used in the attack.
During the trial, the court heard that Ms Thompson had been involved in dealing prescription drugs from her home and that she and McHugh had a brief relationship the year before the murder.
Further incriminating evidence emerged through text messages sent by another woman to McHugh in June 2022. One message referenced strangulation and stabbing, even though details of the injuries had not yet been publicly disclosed. The same woman also warned McHugh that she was “going to the cops.”
Judge Praises Family’s Strength
Presiding over the case, Ms Justice Karen O’Connor handed down the mandatory life sentence to McHugh. She commended Lisa Thompson’s family and friends for their dignity throughout the trial, despite having to endure harrowing details about her violent and brutal death.
The judge emphasized how deeply Lisa’s love for her children was evident in the testimonies shared during the trial. She also noted that through her sister’s words and her children’s presence, Lisa’s voice remained at the heart of the courtroom until the very end.
