23-year-old Yousef Palani, of Markievicz Heights in Sligo, has been handed down two life sentences for the grotesque murders of Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee in Sligo town last year.
He also received a separate 20-year sentence for causing serious harm to Anthony Burke.
Palani used dating apps to target gay men living alone in the Sligo area. The court heard he was born in Iraq but moved to Ireland with his family when he was a boy.
Aidan Moffitt’s body was found the floor of his bedroom on the 11th of April last year. His hands were tied behind his back and he had been decapitated.
The businessman suffered over one hundred sharp wound injuries, almost half of which were stab wounds. A knife was placed in his hand after he was killed.
Michael Snee’s body was found in his home two days later. He too had been stabbed to death. Two knives were laid out on his bed in the shape of a cross.
Palani has pleaded guilty to their murders and also admits stabbing another man in the face, costing him his eye sight in his left eye.
This was after they had engaged in consensual sexual activity in the man’s home.
It also emerged that Palani told gardaí he would have continued to kill had he not been stopped as he was at the time.
He described homosexuality as a “sin” and told gardai “you won’t find many homosexual Muslims.” He said it was “prohibited under Islam.”
