THE brother of a woman murdered by her husband has welcomed plans for a new law aiming to ban parents who kill their spouses from being guardians to their kids.
James Kilroy, 51, received a life sentence for inflicting 57 injuries on his occupational therapist wife Valerie French in a horrific knife and hatchet attack at their home in Co Mayo on June 14, 2019.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has brought a memo to the Cabinet seeking approval for the new “Valerie’s Law” legislation to be introduced.
David, who has written a new book about his sister’s murder and his family’s fight for justice entitled ‘For Valerie’ added: “This is a very straightforward piece of legislation and I am glad it is being supported.
“This legislation is very important for families and someone like Kilroy, who deprived Valerie’s children of a devoted mother, should not have guardianship rights.
“My sister died defending her children and I hope that other families can benefit from Valerie’s Law once it has been implemented.”
David is also to establish a trust fund for her three children after securing a court order making him the administer of her estate.
The High Court ruling was made on Monday after the mum-of-three’s killer James Kilroy, 51, opposed Mr French’s legal bid to obtain responsibility for her estate.
The court’s decision means the killer will no longer be recognised as the executor of her estate.
David told us: “If Kilroy had agreed to let me be the representative for Valerie’s estate there would have been no need to go to the High Court.
“If he had thought about the future of the children for once we wouldn’t have faced further stress.
“I now plan to establish a trust fund for Valerie’s sons with the proceeds from this estate.
RELIEVED BY DECISION
“He has opposed everything with his tactics and I am relieved this decision has been made.
“All we ever wanted was to safeguard the future of those children but Kilroy only cares about himself.”
