HARROWING EVIDENCE AS OMAGH FAMILIES RECALL LIFE AFTER ATROCITY
Harrowing evidence as Omagh families recall life after atrocity
THE brother of an Omagh bomb victim stood beside her body for two days, to stop anyone discovering the horrific scale of her injuries, the High Court has heard.
Edmond Gibson's account of defying exhaustion to shield family and friends from the ravages inflicted on his sister, Esther, was revealed during harrowing evidence read out at the landmark civil action in Belfast.
Other bereaved relatives and their partners also told how their lives were destroyed by the terrorist attack, which killed 29 people and unborn twins in August 1998.
Some thought of suicide, while others turned to drink, in a bid to block out their pain.
Brett Lockhart, QC for the families who are taking a multi-million pound lawsuit against five alleged dissident republicans, went through a series of statements from those who lost loved ones.
The court heard how Mr. Gibson, a police officer at the time of the bombing, joined a clean-up operation following the attack. At this stage he was unaware his 36-year-old sister was among the dead.
Later he recalled identifying her shattered body and then, as the oldest brother, standing next to it day and night during an extended wake.
"I was told no one could touch her body, as there was nothing behind her face or chest," he said.
"When it came to carrying the coffin, I almost collapsed as I was so exhausted from the emotion of standing in Esther's room for two days. I felt at this stage I was wiping away everyone else's tears, and had no tears left to cry myself".
At this agony intensified, and post-traumatic stress set in. His job became so difficult that eventually he was medically retired from the police service.
Haunted by guilt and thoughts that he could have lifted his sister's body as he helped clear debris from the bomb scene, he added: "As a policeman, it should have been me that died, not Esther."
Mr. Gibson's wife, Heather, also told how he has never got over what happened, with his sense of pride and love of sports wiped out.
"It's as if he had been in the bomb," she stated.
Their accounts emerged as lawyers for the families confirmed that two men who lost wives in the terrorist outrage would be seeking �225,000 and �160,000 in damages for loss of dependency and loss of services.
One of them, Mark Breslin, sat head bowed in court, as Mr. Lockhart went through statements from doctors who treated his wife, Geraldine, 43, as she lay dying.
At one stage, the barrister said he did not want to refer to the injuries discussed by the medical experts.
All sides in the action against Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell, Seamus McKenna, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly sat in silence as the emotion-charged accounts were read out.
Others for whom the suffering has been relentless include the family of 15-year-old murder victim Lorraine Wilson.
Her mother, Geraldine Ann Wilson, said they were blighted by grief, rows, attempted suicides and heavier alcohol dependency.
Mrs. Wilson also disclosed the impact on young son, Colin, a 10-year-old with some learning difficulties at the time of the bomb.
"Colin was plunged into a world of chaos and depression," she said in her statement.
"He had gone from having a good family life, to a family who were bitter and upset, drinking and argumentative."
The boy became so scared that he had to sleep on a mattress on his parents' bedroom floor.
"The death of Lorraine has scarred Colin for life," his mother added.
Mrs. Wilson's older son, Gary, told how he became so depressed after losing his sister that the only way he got through it was to leave Northern Ireland and go travelling.
He had tried to take his own life and also suffered the 'cruel harassment' of comments sprayed on the walls at work by republican-supporting colleagues, the court heard.
Eventually moving to Perth, Australia, with his wife, he stated: "I could no longer live in Northern Ireland. I can never forget the murder of my sister Lorraine and the day of August 15, 1998".
THE brother of an Omagh bomb victim stood beside her body for two days, to stop anyone discovering the horrific scale of her injuries, the High Court has heard.
Edmond Gibson's account of defying exhaustion to shield family and friends from the ravages inflicted on his sister, Esther, was revealed during harrowing evidence read out at the landmark civil action in Belfast.
Other bereaved relatives and their partners also told how their lives were destroyed by the terrorist attack, which killed 29 people and unborn twins in August 1998.
Some thought of suicide, while others turned to drink, in a bid to block out their pain.
Brett Lockhart, QC for the families who are taking a multi-million pound lawsuit against five alleged dissident republicans, went through a series of statements from those who lost loved ones.
The court heard how Mr. Gibson, a police officer at the time of the bombing, joined a clean-up operation following the attack. At this stage he was unaware his 36-year-old sister was among the dead.
Later he recalled identifying her shattered body and then, as the oldest brother, standing next to it day and night during an extended wake.
"I was told no one could touch her body, as there was nothing behind her face or chest," he said.
"When it came to carrying the coffin, I almost collapsed as I was so exhausted from the emotion of standing in Esther's room for two days. I felt at this stage I was wiping away everyone else's tears, and had no tears left to cry myself".
At this agony intensified, and post-traumatic stress set in. His job became so difficult that eventually he was medically retired from the police service.
Haunted by guilt and thoughts that he could have lifted his sister's body as he helped clear debris from the bomb scene, he added: "As a policeman, it should have been me that died, not Esther."
Mr. Gibson's wife, Heather, also told how he has never got over what happened, with his sense of pride and love of sports wiped out.
"It's as if he had been in the bomb," she stated.
Their accounts emerged as lawyers for the families confirmed that two men who lost wives in the terrorist outrage would be seeking �225,000 and �160,000 in damages for loss of dependency and loss of services.
One of them, Mark Breslin, sat head bowed in court, as Mr. Lockhart went through statements from doctors who treated his wife, Geraldine, 43, as she lay dying.
At one stage, the barrister said he did not want to refer to the injuries discussed by the medical experts.
All sides in the action against Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell, Seamus McKenna, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly sat in silence as the emotion-charged accounts were read out.
Others for whom the suffering has been relentless include the family of 15-year-old murder victim Lorraine Wilson.
Her mother, Geraldine Ann Wilson, said they were blighted by grief, rows, attempted suicides and heavier alcohol dependency.
Mrs. Wilson also disclosed the impact on young son, Colin, a 10-year-old with some learning difficulties at the time of the bomb.
"Colin was plunged into a world of chaos and depression," she said in her statement.
"He had gone from having a good family life, to a family who were bitter and upset, drinking and argumentative."
The boy became so scared that he had to sleep on a mattress on his parents' bedroom floor.
"The death of Lorraine has scarred Colin for life," his mother added.
Mrs. Wilson's older son, Gary, told how he became so depressed after losing his sister that the only way he got through it was to leave Northern Ireland and go travelling.
He had tried to take his own life and also suffered the 'cruel harassment' of comments sprayed on the walls at work by republican-supporting colleagues, the court heard.
Eventually moving to Perth, Australia, with his wife, he stated: "I could no longer live in Northern Ireland. I can never forget the murder of my sister Lorraine and the day of August 15, 1998".
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1967
Published Date: 02-Oct-08
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