A sentencing hearing for a 23-year-old man who murdered two gay men and seriously injured another in Sligo last year has heard he was motivated by hostility and prejudice towards homosexual men.
The court heard that Yousef Palani had exaggerated mental health issues to gardaí when he admitted the murders and told them voices in his head told him to do it.Another was stabbed 25 times mainly to the head, neck and chest.The court heard he had targeted gay men living alone and had been obsessed with tying them up before killing them.
However, while he had mentioned his muslim religion forbade homosexuality, gardaí said he was not radicalised. He was tracked down after gardaí issued a warning to people using the apps and was seen using the app nearby in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. Yousef Palani, with an address at Markievicz Heights in Sligo, had in July pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of Aidan Moffitt at Cartron Heights in Sligo on 10 April last year.
He also pleaded guilty to murdering Michael Snee at City View, Connaughton Road in Sligo, two days later on 12 April.The hearing continues.