Nicola Tallent

So the manner in which the branding iron was used is also a major aggravating factor in total for all of them.

in relation to what the judges said was the dehumanising of this man in the most brutal way by burning and branding him in order to disfigure him for life.

The mitigating in total for all of them is these guilty pleas, and in particular the mitigating for Devon, who pleads guilty earlier.

The others do so as the trial has begun and Barry Moore has been presented already to the court.

So then they go on to take the individuals and what they have put to the court, I suppose, as their mitigating plea.

They do.

Now, Jason himself, though, who is, you know, who's the guy who's joking and laughing in particular, and we feel is the leader of the pack, he's sitting in court, but his defence, or he is suggesting that the mitigating factors in his defence are his remorse in relation to the incident.

And it's described how he's working in the kitchen in a prison and he's on 23 hour lock up in that prison.

He's two young children.

He's not able to hold them, he says.

He gets three calls a week and he's been affected by the tragic circumstances in which his father, Jason Senior, was murdered in Brown Steakhouse, 2023.

So, I mean, I'm very no doubt that he describes how his mother has suffered from ill health, which has deteriorated since this incident, since his father's death.

He had learning difficulties, it was said, and he didn't finish formal school system.

He'd limited schooling.

But they did describe that he got seven honours.

Now was that in a junior certificate or something?

It was a false course I think.

A false course, seven honours and a false course.

He had worked previously and in particular he worked in a towing business with his father Jason Senior.

Now, apparently, according to him, his mitigating circumstances in relation to him is that he has a supportive family who are available to him on his release.