‘NO JUSTICE FOR JIM’Outrage over killer’s six year sentence

Jackie Allen was sentenced for six years last week for the manslaughter of defenceless pensioner Jim ‘Sunshine’ Heasley from Craig Gardens as he walked home along Manor Drive in the early hours of Sunday October 17 2010. Jim died a fortnight later from his injuries.

Allen will serve three years in custody and three years on supervised licence.

The sentence has angered Jim’s brother David who said: “Justice has not been served.”

It was only six days into the trial, which began in March, that Allen, who was denying Mr Heasley’s murder, admitted the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Mr Heasley, who had battled throat cancer for five years from 1997, had been out drinking in the Lagan Valley Pigeon Club when he confronted Allen over drinking other customers’ beer.

The court accepted Allen, an alcoholic, had no recollection of the night, but CCTV footage showed Mr Heasley walking along Longstone Street and into Manor Drive where Allen followed and beat and kicked the pensioner so badly that he was left in a coma for ten days before he passed away. He suffered countless injuries including a broken shoulder, cuts and bruising to his chin, eyes and face and his side.

Allen was picked up by the police minutes later after he had fallen down into a hedge drunk. They gave him a lift to his door.

David said that he was disgusted at how his brother’s attack was treated by the police. He claimed nothing was done until ten days after the incident as the beating was initially regarded as a drunken fall. The handling of the case is now being investigated by the Police Ombudsman’s office.

“Jackie Allen killed my brother and you can dress it up whatever way you want - manslaughter or murder - but he killed him and it was all over a mouthful of beer,” said David.

“When we heard the sentence that he got. It was hard to believe. It was just atrocious.”

He said the family found the sentencing ‘hard to take’ as Allen sat ‘smirking’ as the sentence was read out.

“It was only six days into the trial that he pleaded manslaughter and admitting killing Jim,” said David. “He has put our family through hell.

“Why he was allowed to plead manslaughter I don’t know. Manslaughter to us was never on the cards. We were told that he was never being tried for manslaughter. We had no say or input into it at all.

“Justice has not been served for Jim. The whole legal system is a farce.

“Jim’s life and death has not been respected. His killer just sat smirking in the dock. It is really hard to take in.

“Jim’s lying in Blaris and his killer deserves life.”

David said he was now seeking a meeting with the Attorney General.

“I want to ask him why Jim’s killer was allowed out for six weeks on bail after the trial ended in March.

“Life should mean life not three years.”

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