A woman who met her son’s killer has recalled feeling how her stomach was “in knots” before the meeting. 

In 2017, Janet O’Brien’s son, Luke O’Reilly, was punched by a friend on a night out in Tallaght. 

He was Ms O’Brien’s eldest child and she described him as “just sunshine” and very caring towards others. 

“He was a grand little kid now, I have to say,” she said. 

At the time, he was 20 years old and had started an accountancy course in Crumlin College. 

On the night he was attacked, Ms O’Brien remembers him calling up to her that he was heading out with his friends. 

Several hours later, she was woken up at three o’clock in the morning by Gardaí asking her to come to Tallaght Hospital, saying that Luke had been attacked. 

“I was met straight away with two doctors, asking what happened,” she recalled on Newstalk Daily.  

“The kids kept telling me that, ‘Oh, he got a punch from behind, it was Jack.’

“I remember thinking at the time, ‘I don't care who's done what - I just need to see him and see.’

“I really thought we were dealing with a black eye or something.” 

Luke was wheeled into surgery and the family always had a “bit of hope” that he would recover. 

But two weeks later, Ms O’Brien was called up and it was suggested that she come over to the hospital. 

There she was told that he had just hours to live. 

Afterwards, Ms O’Brien remembers being thrown “straight into” the court case, which she remembers as a “horrific” process for victims. 

Luke’s attacker, Jack Hall Ellis, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, accepting that it was an unprovoked attack. 

Restorative justice

At this point, Ms O’Brien decided for the sake of her remaining children that she did not want to become an “angry, bitter mother”, nor did not want to “demonise Jack” or hurt his family in any way.

“I'm lost without Luke, but I just feel this is a better way,” she said. 

“I reached out to Jack's Mam and met with her and we chatted and she totally understood why I was doing what I was doing,” she recalled. 

“Once I had her blessing, I continued on. 

“Another few years went by and I realised Jack was going to be coming out of prison shortly.” 

 Ms O’Brien decided she wanted to make him understand the consequences of his actions and got in touch with the Probation Service. 

When she did meet Hall Ellis, she recalls feeling that “my stomach was in knots”. 

“It was clear that he was very remorseful,” she said. 

“He actually thanked me for being there; he said he didn't have the courage to get in touch. 

“He said as soon as he opened his eyes every morning, he thought of Luke. 

“So, I did feel he was very remorseful.” 

Hall Ellis told her that he had expected her to shout at him but in fact she just had a simple message for him. 

“I know you're not five years of age, but please be good when you come out,” she pleaded with him. 

“I remember thinking, ‘You have a chance now, like Luke doesn't.’” 

The desire to ensure that other families are spared the heartbreak Ms O’Brien has endured and a belief in restorative justice is what now “drives” her. 

“I know a lot of people will be angry about this, but just throwing longer sentences at people isn't really the answer, I don't think,” she argued.

Main image: A prisoner in handcuffs. Picture by:Leon Farrell Photocall Ireland.