The widow of a man unlawfully killed in 1999 is unlikely to see the full amount of her compensation settlement after it was revealed the men convicted of her husband´s death had limited assets.
Margaret Madden of Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon, was last week awarded 722,000 Euros compensation by the High Court in respect of the unlawful killing of her husband – Terence Madden – outside the couple´s bed and breakfast establishment thirteen years ago.
However, the combined assets of three of the men convicted of Mr Madden´s murder will amount to little more than 250,000 Euros once properties have been disposed of, and a fourth man involved in his death is understood to have no assets at all.
The claim for the unlawful killing of a spouse is the first of its kind to be resolved in Ireland and, despite the possibility that she is unlikely to receive the full amount of the award made to her, Margaret Madden said that she was relieved the civil action was over.