Emotional blow for Danielle McLaughlin's mum as murder trial denies Victim Impact Statement
Exclusive - The murder trial has been going on over seven years and is due to come to an end within weeks with the presiding judge to deliver her verdict. Now Danielle’s mum Andrea Brannigan has said she has only been told this week that Victim Impac
The mum of murdered Donegal backpacker Danielle McLaughlin has said she is ‘heartbroken’ as she was informed this week she will not be allowed to make a Victim Impact Statement if the man accused of her daughter’s murder is found guilty.
Danielle, 28, from Buncrana, was found dead in a secluded spot in Canacona, an area of Goa in India popular with holidaymakers, on March 14, 2017.
The night before she was found dead, Danielle had attended a Holi party near Canacona beach in the south of Goa. She had been brutally raped and murdered.
Local man, Vikat Bhagat, has been charged with the rape and murder of Danielle. The murder trial has been going on over seven years and is due to come to an end within weeks with the presiding judge to deliver her verdict.
READ MORE: Mum of murdered Danielle McLaughlin 'nervous and scared' as seven-year trial comes to an end
Bhagat has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, murder, violent robbery and destruction of evidence.
With only a handful of witnesses left to give their evidence, the conclusion of the seven year trial is nearing the end with the prosecution likely to complete their part in the middle to end of July.
However, the defence will be given an opportunity to respond to the prosecution’s case and with closing speeches this could bring the end date to August.
The presiding judge will then deliver her verdict and if he is found guilty a sentencing hearing will take place.
Now Danielle’s mum Andrea Brannigan has said she has only been told this week that Victim Impact Statements are not used in Indian courts and she will not be asked to make one.
“I was never told this until now,” a heartbroken Andrea told us. “You would wonder why they are not used but they don’t have a jury in Indian courts either.”
“Doing a Victim Impact Statement was my way of letting him know what he’s done to us,” she continued.
“I wanted to do a Victim Impact Statement so he could know what he has taken from our family and how, when Danielle passed, so did her future and my future. My dreams for her to get married, have children, be an aunt. I lost my eldest, beautiful daughter and best friend. My girls lost their big sister and the one they looked up to and guided them. This is just a part of what I wanted to tell him [Bhagat],” said Andrea.
“It’s heartbreaking.”
Earlier Andrea revealed she is ‘nervous and scared’ that despite there being enough evidence against Bhagat “It doesn’t guarantee a guilty verdict.”
Andrea said: “I am nervous and scared. We don’t know what way the judge will go with a verdict. There is enough evidence but that doesn’t guarantee a guilty verdict.
“I can’t guarantee a guilty verdict. No-one can,” Andrea said, adding she is preparing herself for either verdict.
“I know what verdict I want and I am trying to stay positive but it is scary.”
“It’s coming close to an end now but I don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said.
Andrea plans to travel to India for a week for the verdict and plans on visiting the farmer who found Danielle’s body on his land to thank him as she feels she is indebted to him.
The farmer has put a memorial on his land in memory of Danielle.
“I am indebted to him as it could have all been covered up. Danielle could have been buried and never found. The farmer who found her was threatened with his life if he gave evidence during the trial but he went ahead and gave his evidence. “He was the first witness during the trial.”
Danielle’s best friend Louise set up a Go Fund Me called ‘Danielle McLaughlin trial travel costs’ in a bid to raise the necessary funds to enable Andrea and her daughter Joleen to get to India for the verdict. For more information or to donate, click here.
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