A 23-YEAR-OLD man has been given two life sentences for murdering two men in Sligo last year.
In July of this year Yousef Palani, of Markievicz Heights in Sligo, pleaded guilty to the murder of Aidan Moffitt on April 10, 2022 and Michael Snee two days later.
He also admitted causing harm to Anthony Burke, who was stabbed in the eye on April 9.
Palani was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday afternoon.
Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring gave him a life sentence for each count of murder and sentenced Palani to 20 years for the attack on Mr Burke.
The sentences will run concurrently.
The court heard Gardaí believed Palani’s attacks where homophobically motivated.
They happened after his victims had engaged in consensual sexual activity with Palani in their homes.
Palani, who was born in Iraq but moved to Ireland with his family as a boy, used dating apps to target gay men living in Sligo, the court further heard.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Burke said his attacker was a “coward and a monster”.
The violent deaths of Michael Snee and Aidan Moffitt sparked outrage in Ireland last year.
In the days that followed demonstrations were held outside Dáil Éireann in Dublin, City Hall in Belfast and Town Hall in Sligo.
Further vigils took place in Donegal, Galway and Wicklow, as well as at the Irish Centre in London.
