Shane Clancy victim's mother (Nuala Creane) seeks NEW inquest into his killer's death - FIDDAMAN blog ** Exclusive

Mother of murder victim in legal bid over new inquest into killer's death

The mother of a 22-year-old man stabbed to death in Co Wicklow almost three years ago, has begun legal proceedings to have a new inquest held into his killer's death.

Sebastian Creane was fatally stabbed at the family home in Bray, Co WicklowThe mother of a 22-year-old man stabbed to death in Co Wicklow almost three years ago has begun legal proceedings to have a new inquest held into his killer's death.



Nuala Creane, whose son Sebastian was stabbed to death by Shane Clancy at the Creane home in Bray, has been given permission by the High Court to challenge the Attorney General's refusal to direct a new inquest into Mr Clancy's death.

She is also challenging the failure of the Minister for Justice to make any decision on a complaint by her about the conduct of the Coroner for East Wicklow, Cathal Louth, who conducted the inquest into Mr Clancy's death.


Mr Clancy, 22, stabbed himself to death in the early hours of 16 August 2009 after stabbing his former girlfriend Jennifer Hannigan, her new boyfriend Sebastian Creane and Sebastian's brother, Dylan. Sebastian died from his injuries.


The inquest into Mr Creane's death returned a verdict of unlawful killing and found that he died of a knife wound to the heart.

The inquest into Mr Clancy's death returned an open verdict.


Mr Clancy's mother told the inquest she believed her son's actions were the result of the prescribed anti-depressants he had been taking.

The inquest heard he had "toxic to fatal" levels of the anti-depressant Cipramil in his system and evidence was given that he may have suffered an adverse reaction to the drug.

Lawyers for Mrs Creane told the High Court that the inquest into Mr Clancy's death was the only public judicial or quasi judicial forum in which the circumstances of the killing of Mr Creane would ever be fully considered, investigated or explored.


Mrs Creane says in advance of the inquest into Mr Clancy's death, the coroner reassured her and her husband about how he intended to conduct the inquest and to address expert evidence in respect of the purported relationship between the anti-depressant medication and the behaviour of Mr Clancy.

The Creanes claim the coroner failed to conduct the inquest in an open, fair or balanced manner and they say there was no reasonable or fair inquiry into the relevant circumstances surrounding the killing.


The High Court gave permission to Mrs Creane to proceed with her challenge and it will be before the court again next month.