Learning of dad’s stabbing death on Xmas, putting present in coffin & festive torment… Kids’ pain over horror killing

The killer has since met the family and laughed in their face on the street
THE daughter of a devoted father who was killed on Christmas Eve by his ex-wife’s partner has told of her pain at not getting to give him his Christmas present.

Louann Lawlor — who was just ten when John, 48, was stabbed to death — said: “I had to put it in his coffin.”

Heartbroken Louann, 22, and her bigger sisters Arlene, 37, and Casey, 35, today reveal how his death is still painful — and offer support to other families who have lost loved ones through violence.

Their dad John, 48, of Ballinatray Lower, Co Wexford, was stabbed to death by David Stanley in an unprovoked attack just hours before he was due to celebrate Christmas Day with his girls in 2013.

At the time of the killing, ­Stanley was in a relationship with John’s ex-wife, Melissa.

The thug — who has never shown any remorse for taking the grandad’s life — received a six-and-a-half year sentence, with the final three suspended, after admitting to manslaughter in October 2016.

Since his release from prison in 2019, the brute has returned to Co Wexford and also laughed at John’s relatives after meeting them in the street on different occasions.

In their first interview about the horrific killing, Arlene told of her family’s ongoing trauma.

She said: “The pain that we continue to experience is a reminder of how much we loved and will always love him.

“I have learned to live with his loss but my heart still aches — I still miss my dad every single day.

“My kids were just three and seven at the time and they had a great relationship with their grandad but this was taken from them.

“I still had to do Santy even after being told my father was dead — I had to go into autopilot.

“I still had to open the presents but in the background I was torn apart. I had to do this for my children.

“We have decided to speak now because we want to support other families and to remind people this can be a very difficult time of year for some families.”

‘PUT PRESENT IN HIS COFFIN’

Louann — who was just ten when her dad was killed — also told of her pain over the last 12 years.

She added: “I don’t think Daddy’s loss has completely hit me — I’m only beginning to grieve now.

“I have missed out on so many things that young women my age take for granted, like a dad ­meeting a boyfriend for the first time or ­fixing your car.

“I remember waking up that morning and my mam was crying — I hadn’t even opened my presents.

“My dad didn’t have any animosity towards him — it was all coming from one direction.

“I was meant to go to my dad’s house that evening to give him his Christmas present but I never got the chance so I had to put it in his coffin.”

THREATS BEFORE KILLING

Arlene told how Stanley, now 59, had been “harassing” her dad for months before taking his life.

In the weeks before killing the popular man, he bombarded his victim with threatening messages and phone calls.

One message read: “I will put you out on the road.”

Another said: “I will take all your dogs — you are no f****** good.”

Despite the harassment, John never responded to the taunts.

Gardai have never established a motive for Stanley’s decision to attack John at his home, but one theory is that he was obsessively envious of his popularity.

THEORY FOR ATTACK

Another is that because John and his ex-wife were still on good terms.

Arlene added: “Stanley was harassing my father for many months before he finally took his life.

“He had time to think about his actions but still went to my dad’s home on Christmas.

“He had harassed Daddy with threatening text messages, putting him down and bullying him.

“The intent was there when he killed my dad and we will never forgive him.

“My dad was getting on with his life and we think Shanley must have been consumed by jealousy because Daddy was so popular — the only things he lived for were his family and dogs.

“My dad never entertained him and we just wish he hadn’t answered his door that Christmas Eve when Stanley went looking for him.

“Daddy was my main man as I was a single mother with my two boys. He’s the person I could always turn to — he was my best friend.”

‘NO CONSCIENCE’

She added: “My dad’s killer thought my father was a nobody but my father was a somebody.

“Stanley can rebuild his life but we can only go to a graveyard.

“After all these years Stanley still doesn’t have a conscience and has laughed in our faces.

“I confronted Stanley when he was released from prison but he couldn’t even look me in the eye — he has the traits of a sociopath and narcissist.”

Casey revealed how she had once been contacted by a medium who claimed that Stanley was innocent.

My dad didn’t have any animosity towards him — it was all coming from one direction.”Louann Lawlor

She said: “I had a three-month-old and a two-year-old when my dad was killed and all his grandchildren have been deprived of a loving grandfather.

“The pain never ends — it’s constant. At the time it broke my heart to see our grandmother asking about her son.

“One time I got a message on Facebook from a woman claiming to be a medium and how he was innocent.

“But it came from some of his associates and was just sick.

“I can only assume that he is twisted in some way because he has laughed at me on the street and wants us to respond — but we won’t stoop to his level.”

‘WE WILL NEVER EVER FORGET HIM’

She added: “We know it’s difficult at this time of year for many ­families and we would like to offer them our support.

“The pain of ­losing him hits us harder because we lost him at Christmas — but we will never ever forget him.”

Arlene, who praised the Garda investigation team and their family liaison officer Sgt ­Victor Isdell for their support, has also called on ­Ireland’s courts to cater more for victims and their families.

She said: “The court case was about him but it should be more about the victims. Victims aren’t just facts, they are human beings.”