Christopher Andrew Rooney

CHRIS NOW HAS HIS JUSTICE.

BOTH OF HIS KILLERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN LIFE SENTENCES, AND IT'S WHAT THEY DESERVE.

AFTER A JURY OF 15 TOOK LESS THAN 2 HOURS TO REACH A VERDICT, JUDGE RITA RAE QC TOLD DAVID HART:

"YOU HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF A VERY BRUTAL AND CALLOUS CRIME. YOU AND YOUR MOTHER, WHO IS FORTUNATE
NOT TO BE IN THE DOCK WITH YOU, LEFT THIS POOR MAN LYING ON THE GROUND UNTIL THE EARLY MORNING, WHEN
IT WAS TOO LATE TO DO ANYTHING FOR HIM".

ON SENTENCING HIM, JUDGE RAE MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IN COURT:

"YOU WERE CONVICTED UNANIMOUSLY AFTER TRIAL OF A CHARGE OF THE MURDER OF CHRISTOPHER ROONEY. THE
EVIDENCE LED BEFORE THE JURY WOULD SUGGEST THAT THIS WAS A VERY BRUTAL AND CALLOUS ATTACK, ON A MAN
WHO APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN, TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, INCAPABLE OF DOING VERY MUCH, SINCE HE WAS
DRUNK.

THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT HE DID ANYTHING WHATSOEVER TO PROVOKE THIS ATTACK,
OR TO ATTRACT THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE INFLICTED UPON HIM. THAT, HOWEVER, DID NOT PREVENT YOU AND YOUR
BROTHER INFLICTING APPALLING INJURIES ON HIM. BOTH OF YOU REPEATEDLY PUNCHED, KICKED AND STAMPED ON
MR ROONEY, AND THERE APPEARED TO BE TWO PARTS TO THE ASSAULT, SEPARATED BY A GAP WHERE EFFORTS WERE
MADE TO LET YOU CALM DOWN.

ACCORDING TO THE EVIDENCE YOU WERE THE MORE VIOLENT OF THE TWO ATTACKERS. THE POST MORTEM REPORT
IDENTIFIED 79 SEPARATE, RECENT INJURIES, MOST SERIOUS OF WHICH WERE THE HEAD INJURIES, LEADING TO A
SUBDURAL HAEMORRHAGE AND CONSEQUENT DAMAGE TO HIS BRAIN. NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT BRUTAL ATTACK, YOU
LEFT THE SERIOUSLY INJURED MR ROONEY LYING OUTSIDE, IN A GARDEN, IN THE COLD, WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT
FOR HIM. DURING THAT TIME, THE BLEEDING ROUND HIS BRAIN BUILT UP UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE TO SAVE HIM.
WHETHER HE COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED IF TAKEN TO HOSPITAL EARLIER, WE SHALL NEVER KNOW. HOWEVER, MR
ROONEY COULD BE HEARD MOANING AND IN OBVIOUS PAIN, WHILE YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS WATCHED TELEVISION AND
SLEPT.

IT IS TRUE THAT YOU CALLED THE AMBULANCE JUST BEFORE 7.30 IN THE MORNING, BUT THAT WAS HOURS LATER,
AND NO EFFORT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN MADE TO ASSIST THE AUTHORITIES TO IDENTIFY HIM, AND HE DIED LATER
THAT MORNING IN HOSPITAL, ALONE, WITHOUT BEING IDENTIFIED.

FROM MY READING OF THE SOCIAL ENQUIRY REPORT, YOU SUGGEST YOU WERE UNAWARE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE
DECEASED'S INJURIES, BUT THAT POSITION IS HARDLY CONSISTENT WITH YOU ASKING A WITNESS SOON AFTER THE
ASSAULT TO COME AND SEE IF HE WAS DEAD. YOU KNEW PERFECTLY WELL HE WAS BADLY INJURED. IN ADDITION,
DESPITE PROFESSING SOME REGRET FOR YOUR ACTIONS, YOU APPEAR TO BLAME OTHERS AND TO SOME EXTENT, THE
DECEASED. YOU NOW ACCEPT HOWEVER, THAT YOU ACTED WHILE OUT OF CONTROL, ALTHOUGH THAT APPEARS TO BE A
POSITION ONLY ADOPTED POST CONVICTION, AND WAS NOT REFLECTED IN THE CROSS EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES,
AS IT APPEARED YOU ONLY ACCEPTED ONE PUNCH, AND POSSIBLY ONE KICK. THAT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE YOUR
POSITION NOW. I AM NOT CLEAR, THEREFORE, HOW GENUINE OR REAL YOUR EXPRESSIONS OF REGRET ARE, AND IF
YOU ARE INDEED SORRY FOR YOUR ACTIONS, RATHER THAN SIMPLY FOR THE PREDICAMENT WHICH YOU FIND
YOURSELF IN. ONE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED, IF GENUINELY REMORSEFUL, THAT REMORSE WOULD HAVE BEEN
EXPRESSED MUCH EARLIER, AND NOT APPARENTLY FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER CONVICTION.

AFTER THE CRIME YOU MADE EFFORTS TO DESTROY EVIDENCE, AND TO GET A WITNESS NOT TO TELL THE POLICE
THE TRUTH AND IMPLICATE YOU.

YOU HAVE A RECORD FOR CARRYING WEAPONS OR KNIVES AND YOUR LAST CONVICTION WAS ONE FOR ASSAULT.
ACCORDING TO THE SOCIAL ENQUIRY REPORT YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, AND AT THE TIME
OF THIS CRIME YOU WERE WEARING A TAG UNDER A RESTRICTION OF LIBERTY ORDER. YOU WERE ALSO ON FOUR (4)
BAIL ORDERS AND DEFERRED SENTENCE, PRESUMABLY FOR GOOD BEHAVIOUR.

YOU MUST REALISE THAT IN RESPECT OF THE MURDER CHARGE, THERE IS ONLY ONE SENTENCE I CAN IMPOSE,
ALTHOUGH I REQUIRE TO MAKE AN ORDER SETTING WHAT IS CALLED A PUNISHMENT PART, THAT IS, THE MINIMUM
PERIOD OF TIME YOU REQUIRE TO SERVE IN PRISON, TO SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF RETRIBUTION AND
DETERRENCE. THE EFFECT OF THIS WILL BE THAT YOU WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE UNTIL THE PUNISHMENT
PART HAS EXPIRED. THEREAFTER, IT WILL BE FOR THE PAROLE BOARD AND PAROLE BOARD ALONE, TO CONSIDER
WHETHER YOU STILL PRESENT A RISK TO THE PUBLIC, OR WHETHER YOU CAN BE RELEASED ON A LIFE LICENCE
WITH APPROPRIATE CONDITIONS.

I DO HAVE REGARD TO ALL OF THE OTHER FACTORS ENUMERATED BY COUNSEL, AND REFERRED TO IN THE REPORTS.
I NOTE THAT YOU HAVE ONLY JUST TURNED 21. REFERENCE IS ALSO MADE, BOTH IN THE SOCIAL ENQUIRY REPORT
AND TO SOME EXTENT IN THE PLEA IN MITIGATION, TO THE CONSUMPTION BY YOU OF ALCOHOL, AND HOW THAT
MIGHT HAVE IMPACTED ON YOUR BEHAVIOUR, IN FAIRNESS, NOT AS MITIGATION. I REPEAT WHAT HAS BEEN SAID
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS IN THESE COURTS - THE EXCESSIVE USE OF ALCOHOL IS NOT AN EXCUSE, NOR CAN IT
EVER BE AN EXCUSE, FOR SUCH BRUTAL BEHAVIOUR.

LET ME WARN YOU THE PUNISHMENT PART WILL HAVE TO BE SIGNIFICANT TO REFLECT THE BRUTALITY OF THIS
ATTACK, AND ALL OF THE SURROUNDING CIRCUMSTANCES, SOME OF WHICH I HAVE MENTIONED THIS MORNING.

ON CHARGE 1. THE MURDER CHARGE. THE SENTENCE WILL BE IMPRISONMENT FOR LIFE, WITH A PUNISHMENT
PART OF 15 YEARS BACKDATED TO 21 APRIL 2008, WHEN YOU WERE FIRST REMANDED IN CUSTODY.

ON CHARGE 2. THE SENTENCE WILL BE TWO YEARS, WITH SIX MONTHS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE BAIL
AGGRAVATIONS. THAT WILL BE SERVED CONCURRENTLY".

JUDGE RITA RAE GAVE A LENGTHY SPEECH ON WHAT SHE DESCRIBED AS A CALLOUS AND BRUTAL ATTACK ON A
DEFENCELESS, HARMLESS MAN. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE KILLERS' MOTHER SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON TRIAL WITH
THEM, AS SHE KNEW CHRIS WAS LYING INJURED AND DID NOT SUMMON HELP FOR HIM. SHE REFUSED TO CALL FOR
AN AMBULANCE OR ANY FORM OF ASSISTANCE AS SHE DID NOT WANT THE POLICE AT HER DOOR!!!

CHRIS HAD BEEN KICKED, PUNCHED AND STAMPED ON, AND SUSTAINED A TOTAL OF 79 INJURIES.

CHRIS WAS LEFT, STRIPPED TO HIS UNDERCLOTHES, IN THEIR GARDEN FOR APPROX 8 HOURS, ON WHAT WAS A VERY
COLD NIGHT. BY THE TIME HE WAS FOUND, THE BLEEDING TO HIS BRAIN HAD INCREASED TO THE POINT HE COULD
NOT BE SAVED. HE WAS ALSO HYPOTHERMIC, AND RIGID WITH THE COLD.

♥ ´*•.¸(*•.¸♥ ¸.•*´)¸.•*´♥
♥«´¨`•°CHRISINGTON°•´¨`»♥
♥ ¸.•*(¸.•*´♥ `*•.¸)`*•.¸♥

◄███▓▒░░ XXX CHRIS MY FOREVER ANGEL XXX ░░▒▓███►

My thanks to ALL my GTS Friends, for all the Lovely Pictures, Candles, Tributes, Love and Support
they have given CHRIS and myself. I Totally Appreciate each and every minute you spend remembering
the Lovely Person who was CHRIS. I know he will be delighted by all of your love.

WALK ON MY BEAUTIFUL, GORGEOUS, APPRECIATIVE, PROUD, LOVING AND LOYAL SON XXX

CHRIS ALWAYS held that head up high, and had every reason to. His was a PROUD and gorgeous head,
meant to be held up high. He was a very lovable, loyal and beautiful Son. For ME to have and
hold, hug and love. For ME to have given birth to such a gorgeous Boy was one day I will never
forget, MY Clever SON, MY Astronomer, MY Genius,

MY GOLDEN BOY CHILD.

CHRISTOPHER ANDREW ROONEY was born within 1½ hours of easy, too easy, labour, weighing 3.24 kilos,
(7lbs), in Motherwell Maternity Hospital on 18 April, 1969 at 7.20pm, under the expert guidance of
Dr J.F.Kerr Grieve, who was the best Gynaecologist/Obstetrician who ever lived.

Chris was unfortunately taken from us on 16 April 2008, two days before his 39th birthday.

He lies in His Coffin today and every day, wearing His favourite Celtic Top, the
European-Cup-Winner's one, from 1967!!! (Two years before He was born, He loved it)!!!!!!!! I
got it for the birthday He never got to celebrate. I am so glad I gave Him the presents early, so I
could see the look on His face when He saw that Celtic Top. He kissed me, hugged me, birled me
around the room and said it was the best present anybody had ever given Him. (Oh aye, what about
the Kawasaki then)?

Chris attended both St. Aidan's Primary & High Schools in Wishaw and was clever & intelligent.
CHRIS COULD READ AND WRITE SINCE HE WAS 3½ YEARS OLD! He sat with his Grannie on Sundays and read
the papers with, and to her, from such an early age! He loved the stories in the Sunday Post. (He
loved The Broons and Oor Wullie). Then they would watch Glen Michael's 'Cartoon Cavalcade'. They
were very close, and spent a lot of time together. He worshipped his Grannie, and the love was
mutual, she adored him.

Chris left the family home in 1989, aged 20, to make His own way in life, His mark on this world.
He worked in Medical Supply Companies, both in Britain and in Rotterdam, Nederland. Chris was
always a good, hard worker, and looked after Himself really well. He never knew what 'signing on'
was.

Chris got bored with life abroad, he missed his home and his Wee Mam, so he returned home to live
with me on January 28-08, after 6½ years in Rotterdam. He immediately secured employment in a
similar kind of company, (Haemonetics) in Bothwell, making Blood Transfusion Packs for Hospital and
Paramedic use.

Chris never married, although he was involved with both Pamela and Cath. He had no children to call
his own. His first son was adopted from birth in 1990, the baby he had with Pamela, named Craig,
born 4/11/90. No other details are known about Craig, although Chris tried for years to make contact
and find his son. Then his second baby boy, Nathan, was unfortunately stillborn in 1995. Chris was
totally heartbroken by losing both of his sons. Nathan's departure devastated him, and following
that his Grannie died in 1996. 13 months later his brother Ziggy died and since nothing could
console him, he decided to move away from his big heartbreak, he could not deal with it. He moved
to Rotterdam to try to re-build his life, away from all of the hurt. He worked in Sonocco Crellin BV
in R'Dam, and very soon became Team Leader of his group. First Operator, it's known as in S.C.BV.


Chris always got on very well with his Team, respecting them as they respected him. He treated
them as equals, and got the best results from them, maximum production and excellence of quality.
He said, "There is no I in team, Mam, they respect me, I respect them and it works just perfect.
If I see somebody struggling I dive in and give help and advice cos I want the best Team in the
Company".

When he got a life together, (apart from working), he kept in touch with me by email or mobile,
always telling me what he had been up to. He even got me a Popeye T-shirt from the Red Light
District of A'Dam, how's that for cheek!!! He could tell me anything he wanted to, (cos there's a
lot of water between me and R'Dam)! But I am his mam, his confidante. Chris had no secrets from me,
he didn't have to hide any of his life, I'm his mam and best pal.

His main hobbies were Astronomy, Photography, Cycling and Music. He could name every star, planet
and constellation in his Universe, (he named a star for our wee Nathan) and was an ardent fan of
every programme on tv dealing with his universe. He had 2 heroes, both Sir Patrick Moore and
Stephen Hawking. When he started on one of his 'tangents' he sounded like a cross between the two of
them!!! I always threatened to explain the intricacies of a cable knitting pattern if he didn't
shut his gob. He would ask "Do you ever look at the sky, Mam"?, and I'd say, "Of course I do, to
see if it's gonna rain or can I get a washing out". That really riled him and he'd go off on
another one. Oh, life was funny with my C around, he kept me alive.

Every day he went on 'google' to check each day's apod, which is Astronomy Picture Of the Day. I
now send him an apod every day, although I reckon he already sees it from his own, better, vantage
point!! That's just me, being attentive to what I know he loves, just me being his Mam.

I was not notified that Chris had been attacked, seriously injured and was DEAD until after he was
gone. I have never been allowed to say my Goodbye to him, never got saying the things in my heart,
for and to, my Chrisington my GOLDEN BOY, which as every mother knows, is the one thing we have left
to hold on to, IT'S THAT LAST MOMENT WE CHERISH.

I IDENTIFIED HIM VIA A VIDEO LINK at Glasgow City Mortuary. That was the last time I was allowed to
see him, not in the flesh that I gave birth to, just a monitor screen. That was the last I EVER saw
of him, his Coffin was closed and nobody was allowed to view him. Maybe that's a good thing, as he
had been so badly damaged the vision would have haunted me for the rest of my life.

BUT HOW IRONIC THAT POSSIBLY ONE OF THE TRANSFUSION PACKS WHICH HE PAID SUCH METICULOUS ATTENTION TO
ASSEMBLING WOULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN USED TO ATTEMPT TO SAVE HIS LIFE!!!

He had come home to start a new life, with a new job, and catch up with friends he hadn't seen for
6½ years and knowing him, he would have made lots more. (He kept in touch with many of them via
email).

He was only home for 11 weeks when he was taken from me and his loving family. 11 wonderful weeks I
will never ever forget.

WHY? we all ask? We all love and miss him so very much, it's a physical pain which is in my heart,
and in the hearts of his friends. They were all so close, as kids on the block, and adults, who
never, ever gave anybody any grief or upset. They lived for their BMX Team, that was all that
mattered to them.

Chris never left the house without a big hug, in case we never saw each other again. He was so
affectionate and loving, caring and considerate, to all the people in our lives, and we all loved
our boy.

When he lived in Rotterdam he sent me a wee package every month containing Belgian chocolates, and
all sorts of lovely things, Delft ornaments, tealight burners, all the best of stuff, hair dye cos
he said I looked like his Grannie at times, we got some laughs at that! I have a collection of
Delftware, all sent by Chris on his wee jaunts up to Delft. He sent me so many beautiful things,
and they are all cherished, beautiful, I cry when I look at them. The box I received last Christmas
was WOW! Loadsa lovely goodies, all specially chosen for his mam.

He did not deserve what happened to him, he was such a lovely person, he did not deserve to be taken
so soon. His death has left an empty space in my life which nothing and no-one can ever fill.
Chris was a really nice and special person. He cared about people, he went out of his way to help
anybody he thought was getting a raw deal and was in need of a wee boost of help.

One of his 'friends' in Rotterdam lost his job, so Chris put him up for a couple of weeks, sharing
ALL he had with him, his food, his money, his clothes. He came home from work one night to find his
lovely flat had been emptied of tv, video, Playstation, DVD, microwave, jeans, t-shirts etc, all the
items he had worked so hard to buy. He just shrugged and said "The guy musta needed them more than
I did, they're only material possessions, mam, I can replace them".

Chris was everything a mother could ever ask for, and his memory will never, ever fade for those of
us who loved him. He had friends in ALL corners of the world, and I have cards & letters from
America, Australia, Afghanistan & Holland, all telling me what a good friend Chris was, how loyal
and funny and 'pattered up' he was. He had really funny 'patter', and called me his Toblerone or
his Nugget! I never knew if it was a compliment, but went along with it to suit him, and I just
called him TOBLEROONEY to get him back! He had a habit of adding 'INGTON' to many words he said,
and that's where his nickname of CHRISINGTON came from. His BMX title was Chrisington, we all got
used to it.

He had so many friends through BMX, from Aberdeen to Southsea, everybody loved Chrisington. Many
of his friends from his youth, who were all in the BMX Competition Team called BSD FOREVER attended
his Requiem Mass in St. Aidan's RC Church, where Chris was an Altar Boy in his youth. Later, as his
Coffin was carried from Chapel, they formed a Guard of Honour to Love and Respect Chris. It was a
very sad day and I know the lads are all as devastated by his death as I am. The LADS cried,
burying their mate Chris. XXX Many of his friends turned up that day, and hugged me. A few of
them remarked that Chris was just the same as me, with a mad sense of humour.

Well, WHO raised him from a wee babby to the Maniac he was?

He is the first one to leave the Team, though NOT by choice. The lads are still gutted.

Chris was proud of the fact he was conceived in Newry, N. Ireland, (he was a honeymoon child) and
always had a love of Ireland, especially Co. Cork, where his name ROONEY originated from. We had
planned to go to Ireland this year (08) to visit the town of his conception and have a good time
together. He never got to visit the place of his conception, which will always hang heavy in my
heart.

He also loved going to Arran, where he and Cath spent happy holidays together for several years.
Perhaps our Angel Nathan would love being where his mum & dad were happy?

I will love and miss Chris till the day we meet again and get that big hug I've been so missing. We
were NOT ALLOWED to view him in his coffin, or say a proper goodbye, with hugs and kisses. That has
been so very hard to accept, after all he was a tremendous hugger!!!

Chris' brother Ziggy died in Jan 1998, (see also GTS sites for Ziggy McAllister, Ellen McAllister &
Nathan Reeve). They were my life, the best reason to be here. My boys were closer to me than my
own right kidney.

I have no choice other than to deal with what has happened to my boys.

THEY ARE DEARLY LOVED AND MISSED BY ALL WHO KNEW THEM WORLDWIDE.