Heartbreak continues as Danielle McLaughlin's murder trial extended by four months, leaving family in limbo

Exclusive - Andrea Brannigan, who has been fighting for seven and a half years for justice for her beloved daughter Danielle, was informed on Friday that the High Court of Bombay in Goa, India has granted the latest extension. This means that the murder trial which has been going on since July 2017 will now continue into its eighth year.

The nightmare continues for the mum of murdered Donegal backpacker Danielle McLaughlin as a four month extension has now been granted for the murder trial that was due to end next week.

Andrea Brannigan, who has been fighting for seven and a half years for justice for her beloved daughter Danielle, was informed on Friday that the High Court of Bombay in Goa, India has granted the latest extension. This means that the murder trial which has been going on since July 2017 will now continue into its eighth year.

With the four month extension, it may bring the trial to February 2025 - when Danielle would have celebrated her 36th birthday.

Danielle, 28, from Buncrana, was found dead in a secluded spot in Canacona, an area of Goa in India popular with holidaymakers, on March 14, 2017.

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The night before she was found dead, Danielle had attended a Holi party near Canacona beach in the south of Goa. She had been brutally raped and murdered.

Local man, Vikat Bhagat, has been charged with the rape and murder of Danielle. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, murder, violent robbery and destruction of evidence.

Last year the High Court of Bombay at Goa instructed the trial to be expedited to hearings three times a week and to be concluded by July. However, Danielle’s heartbroken mum Andrea was informed earlier in the summer the trial is to continue for the month of September.

Last month she was informed that a new extension to have the trial continue longer was refused by the court which ordered the trial to conclude by October 17. But now the four month extension has been granted - giving the prosecution more time to conclude their case and final arguments from both the prosecution and defence before the presiding judge gives their judgement.

However, there is no guarantee the case will conclude within the four month extension and no guarantee a further extension could be applied for by the presiding judge leaving Andrea in ‘complete limbo.’

Andrea was due to travel to India for the conclusion of the trial this month. Now she has had to change her plans as she still doesn’t know when the trial will conclude.

“This is really bad news, a four month extension. I am so upset,” Andrea told this paper on Friday. “But even though a four month extension has been granted, I still don’t know when the trial will finish. I need it finished so I can grieve Danielle and hopefully get justice for her.

“And with the extension it could bring the trial up to February when Danielle’s birthday is. I am just so upset by it all. It’s never ending,” Andrea said of the nightmare she is going through.

The trial will sit again next Tuesday, October 15. In an earlier interview with this paper, Andrea said the last time she spoke with Danielle was via text message on March 13, 2017 at 11.30am when Danielle told her she was “with my friend Vikat” and other pals.

“It’s holi and a crazy day in India. It’s safe though. I am nowhere near the crowds,” Danielle’s message continued. Andrea replied: “Please be careful x.”

Within hours of sending that text message, Danielle was raped and murdered and the following day her body was found on an isolated stretch of open field between Agonda and Canacona beaches in south Goa, India.

Danielle’s best friend Louise set up a Go Fund Me called ‘Danielle McLaughlin trial travel costs’ https://gofund.me/b8e769be in a bid to raise the necessary funds to enable Andrea and her daughter Joleen to get to India for the verdict.

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