Murder accused learn fate

Imposing the minimum life tariffs on 38-year-old Christopher Patrick Stokes, Edward Stokes (34) and 17-year-old Martin Stokes, Belfast Crown Court judge Mr Justice Treacy told them that by brutally murdering John Mongan, they had robbed his wife of a husband and his three children of a father.

All three have been jailed for life but Christopher Stokes, from Glengalliagh in Londonderry, was today ordered to serve at least 20 years, his brother Edward Gabriel Stokes from the Cornshell Fields area was jailed for at least 22 years and Martin Stokes, from the Old Fort was jailed for a minimum of 16 years.

Mr Justice Treacy, sitting today (Friday) at Belfast Crown Court, set the minimum terms of imprisonment to be served by the three men found guilty of the murder of John Mongan.

The court had heard that in the early hours of 7 February 2008 the defendants forced their way into the home of Julia and John Mongan in Fallswater Street, Belfast.

They attacked John Mongan in front of his wife who was due to go into hospital that morning to give birth. John Mongan sustained extensive multiple injuries which resulted in him bleeding to death. The pathologist told the court that some of the injuries were inflicted with a knife while others may have been caused by a bladed weapon such as a machete, hatchet or axe.

As the defendants left the house, Edward Gabriel Stokes attacked Julia Mongan striking her on the head and shoulder. All three were then seen to damage John Mongan's jeep.

Mr Justice Treacy referred to the devastating impact that the death of John Mongan has had on his entire family. In his written judgment he set out in full the "poignant" victim impact report prepared by Julia Mongan which describes the impact of the murder of her husband on her and her children:

"I had a future all planned out with John and our children but that's all been wiped away and I don't have plans any more. My life has been changed forever within a matter of minutes".

The judge told the defendants:

"For whatever reason you took the law into your own hands that night setting out to slay John Mongan. In this you succeeded and in so doing robbed Julia Mongan of her husband and their 3 children of their father. You (and perhaps others) may have foolishly thought or been encouraged to think that you were above the law and beyond its reach. But you were not".

Mr Justice Treacy then fixed the minimum terms that the defendants must serve in full for the murder of John Mongan before they are eligible to be considered for release:

Christopher Patrick Stokes – 20 years imprisonment;

Edward Gabriel Stokes – 22 years imprisonment;

Martin Stokes – 16 years imprisonment.