'Don't let anyone near the house, Danny has gone crazy': Father's warning to neighbour after 'vicious' attack

Eoin Reynolds

A 33-year-old has apologised to his family for murdering his own mother by stabbing her at least 14 times and attempting to murder his father in a 'vicious and prolonged attack' that left him fighting for his life.

Danny Heyneman, one of five siblings, wept today as members of his family detailed the trauma they have suffered since he murdered 'loving and caring' Annie Heyneman, whose "most cherished role was being a mother".

The court heard the defendant has some features of depression and a history of alcohol and polysubstance abuse, but does not suffer from a severe mental disorder.

In a statement written by Heyneman's sister and three brothers, they spoke about how their mother had loved life and made everyone she knew feel special. She cared for others through her community work and through her profession as a carer for adults with disabilities, they said. Their father, Henk Heyneman, said they loved all their children and allowed Danny to live under their roof as an adult without expecting anything in return.

"We never expected him to be grateful," he said. "But we never expected murder."

Keith Spencer for Danny Heyneman said his client deeply regrets his actions. He said he had penned a letter of apology, which he wanted to read himself, but was unable to do so, having listened to his family's words.

Spencer read out the apology, in which his client said he has missed his family every day since the murder and is filled with sadness, grief and guilt. He said he struggles to put into words his regret at causing the loss of their mother, the injuries to their father and the trauma to his family and their friends.

"I miss you all. I am sorry for my actions. I understand I had a loving and supportive family who did their best for me and tried to get me help. Sorry. Sorry," he said.

Danny Heyneman, with an address at Kilnavart, Ballyconnell in Co Cavan, previously pleaded guilty to murdering Annie Heyneman at the family home on January 11, 2025.

He also admitted attempting to murder Henk Heyneman at the same address on the same date. Judge Tony Hunt said he would consider imposing consecutive sentences having listened to evidence of the defendant's "vicious and prolonged" attacks on both parents. "The last couple of hours haven't been easy listening for anyone," he said, "and the extent of the injuries speaks for itself."

Mr Justice Hunt will pass sentence on June 2.

Detective Inspector Adrian Durcan told Gerardine Small, prosecuting, that Annie and Henk Heyneman met in Holland in 1990, married and had two children, the eldest of whom was Danny. They returned to Ireland to live in Ballyconnell and had three more children. Henk got a job as a chef at the Slieve Russell Hotel, while Annie worked in the home until their children grew up, when she got a job as a rehabilitation carer for adults with disabilities in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Danny returned to living at the family home in March 2020, having finished an accountancy course in Sligo. But his behaviour became 'challenging' and a number of incidents over the following years resulted in him being admitted to psychiatric care. He stopped working and began drinking at home, leading to concerns about his alcohol use, the detective said.

The family were also concerned that he had become fixated on certain matters, particularly the idea that electronic devices and mobile phones had been hacked. In February 2024, his family believe he became paranoid. He told them he did not want them to use his name near electronic devices and believed that switched-off phones were switching themselves back on. He would wrap the devices in tinfoil.

His mother came close to telling him to leave the family home, but she was afraid, Det Insp Durcan said. The parents had taken to locking their bedroom door at night because they feared Danny might come.

On January 11, 2025, Henk arrived at his neighbour's front door, bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds. The neighbour noticed that his right ear was 'hanging off' and he had stab wounds to the chest and stomach and a lump missing from his left arm. He was not wearing any shoes and his toes were mucky from walking across a field.

Henk told his neighbour that his wife needed immediate medical attention and might be dead. "Don't let anyone near the house without the guards. Danny has gone crazy," he said.

Henk later described to gardaí that he had gone to bed at about 9pm. His wife stayed up and he noticed that Danny 'had drink on him'. While in bed, Henk heard a strange noise followed by screaming. He went to investigate and found his wife lying on the kitchen floor, not moving. 'Honey, are you okay?' he called out but then his son ran at him with a knife and stabbed him two or three times.

He said Danny was shouting and his eyes were 'massive'. Henk ran back to his bedroom and locked the door. He waited for a time before opening the door and saw his wife, still not moving. As he moved through the house, he said Danny "came racing from the hall" and stabbed him again "loads of times".

Henk again ran to the bedroom and locked himself in. He said he looked down and saw 'blood everywhere' and thought he was going to die. He decided his only hope was to go to his neighbours, so he escaped through a sliding door leading from the bedroom to a patio.

He couldn't find his car keys so he walked across a field to his neighbour's house to raise the alarm.

While gardaí were at the Heyneman house, which by now was on fire, they became aware that Danny had called emergency services from a takeaway about 6.6 kilometres away. He told emergency services that he had been 'very badly hurt', having suffered several stab wounds in a family argument.

In his garda interviews following his arrest, Heyneman said he had earlier that day drunk a bottle of vodka and a bottle of beer. He said he was speaking to his mother when she told him something he 'didn't want to hear'. He said he couldn't remember anything after that, except his father pushing him and seeing a large knife covered in blood in the kitchen sink.

He accepted that he had stabbed his mother and his father, but said he couldn't remember doing it. He said he had not intended to hurt anyone.

State Pathologist Professor Linda Mulligan carried out a post-mortem on Annie Heyneman. She said she had been stabbed at least 14 times, mostly in the trunk and upper back. The most significant injury was to the left jugular and subclavian veins, which led to blood loss, hypovolemic shock and death. She also had defensive-type injuries to her arms.

The stab wounds suggested that the blade used had one sharp end and a blunt end, she said, and could have been caused by a bloodstained knife found at the scene. A doctor detailed Mr Heyneman's injuries, some of which were treated immediately at the emergency department of Cavan General Hospital.

He had suffered 26 sharp force wounds to his scalp, face, right ear, neck, chest, abdomen and both arms. He had a complex fracture to the orbital floor around his left eye, which requires ongoing surgery and continues to weep. He suffers with stress, difficulty sleeping, social anxiety and has tearful episodes. His physical and psychiatric treatment continues.

Det Insp Durcan said the defendant has no previous convictions. He also confirmed that the defendant had an injury to his hand when arrested, which required treatment at Cavan General Hospital before he could be interviewed.

In his victim impact statement, Henk Heyneman said he and his wife had been for dinner at a restaurant in Cavan the evening before their son murdered her and tried to murder him. They had been married for 23 years, he said, and her creativity and ability to make special moments with their children always amazed him. "Her love for our children is something I cannot replace by myself," he said.

He said he sees his wife lying on the floor every time he wakes or blinks. He remembers his son attacking him and the 'look in his eye'. He was no longer their son that night, he said.

Annie was only 55 when she was murdered, he said, their son having taken at least 30 years off her life. "She deserved to live to grow old, to have all the good things in life," he said. They deserved to grow old together and spend time with their children and grandchildren.

He said he is left now alone without his wife and his children without a mother. He said they loved Danny and let him live as an adult under their roof without expecting anything in return.

Keith Spencer BL, for Danny Heyneman, asked the court not to impose consecutive sentences. He said his client has pleaded guilty, and while there are two charges, they arise from a "single, fluid incident that occurred on the night underpinned by mental impairment".

He said his client would have pleaded guilty earlier, but the defence wanted to wait for a psychiatric report to establish if he had a defence under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act. When a psychiatrist found that Heyneman had some features of depression and a history of alcohol and polysubstance abuse but not a severe mental disorder, Heyneman immediately indicated that he would plead guilty.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can freephone the Samaritans 24 hours a day for confidential support at  116 123 or email  jo@samaritans.org. 

Alternatively, the contact information for a range of mental health supports is available at   mentalhealthireland.ie/get-support. In the case of an emergency, or if you or someone you know is at risk of suicide or self-harm, dial 999/112.