A COURT in India’s Goa state has sentenced a 31-year-old man to life in prison for the rape and murder of an Irish woman in 2017. The verdict was delivered on Monday, nearly eight years after the crime.
The body of 28-year-old Danielle McLaughlin was found in March 2017 on a beach popular with tourists. An autopsy confirmed that cerebral damage and constriction of the neck caused her death.
Vikat Bhagat was found guilty of the crime on Friday. McLaughlin’s family said in a statement that they and her friends were “thankful to the public prosecutor and the investigating officer for justice.”
Under Indian law, the identities of rape victims are usually not disclosed. However, McLaughlin’s family had spoken to the media to raise awareness about her case.
Goa, a popular tourist destination, attracts millions of visitors each year. The crime highlighted ongoing concerns about violence against women in India despite stricter laws introduced after the 2012 gang rape and murder of a woman on a Delhi bus.
“Today the court has given the final verdict, life imprisonment to the accused,” investigating officer Filomeno Costa told ANI news agency.
McLaughlin’s lawyer, Vikas Varma, said her body was found in a forested area near Palolem Beach with multiple injuries, including some on her face.
“Nothing can compensate for the loss of a child, but the sentence has diluted the grief of the family,” Varma told Reuters. “It was a long battle of nearly eight years but justice has been done.”
Forensic reports confirmed McLaughlin was raped, and her face was smashed with a Read More….