Ireland Case No. 7012Murder · Co. Mayo · 1 Jun 2013
Tighe appeal dismissed in baby Joshua murder in Mayo
Six-and-a-half-month-old Joshua Sussbier Tighe fatally choked on a ball of tissue at his father's home in Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, on 1 June 2013. John Tighe, 45, an Irish man from Lavallyroe, Cloonfad, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his son, whose mother was Natascha Suessbier, a non-Irish woman aged 28 or 29. A jury at the Central Criminal Court returned a unanimous guilty verdict on 23 March 2018 and Tighe was handed a mandatory life sentence. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal on 24 March 2023, upholding the conviction and sentence.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court24 Mar
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced6 Jun
3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Six-and-a-half-month-old Joshua Sussbier Tighe fatally choked on a ball of tissue at his father's home.
- Where
- The death occurred at Lavallyroe, Cloonfad, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo.
- When
- Joshua died on 1 June 2013, a day after Tighe collected him from his mother.
- Cause
- Expert medical witnesses told the court Joshua could not have formed or swallowed the wad of tissue by himself.
- Investigation
- Tighe told gardai he had carelessly left tissues within Joshua's reach while he went to the toilet.
- Charges
- John Tighe, 45, an Irish man from Lavallyroe, pleaded not guilty to murdering his son.
- In court
- A jury at the Central Criminal Court returned a unanimous guilty verdict on 23 March 2018.
- The Court of Appeal dismissed Tighe's appeal on 24 March 2023, upholding the conviction and sentence.
- Sentence
- Tighe was handed a mandatory life sentence in March 2018.
- Other details
- Joshua's mother, Natascha Suessbier, is a non-Irish woman aged 28 or 29.
- Tusla staff warned the mother in October 2015 that Tighe was a potential danger to their unborn child.
- A GoFundMe campaign raised almost €4,000 from 125 donors for a headstone, which was completed on 16 November 2023.
43 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe baby fatally choked on a ball of tissue. (irishtimes.com)
- whatTighe pleaded not guilty to murdering his six-and-a-half-month-old son. (irishtimes.com)
- whatTighe met Natasha Sussbier through a friend in 2011 when she was aged 17. (irishtimes.com)
- whatTighe told gardai he sent Natasha 1,500 texts every week before she moved in with him in early 2012. (irishtimes.com)
- whatJoshua was born in November 2012. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThey agreed to share custody of Joshua, three days each, alternating the seventh day. (irishtimes.com)
- whatTighe collected Joshua from Natasha on the evening of 31 May and the child choked to death the following afternoon. (irishtimes.com)
- whatBy the time a doctor arrived, 23 minutes after Tighe made the call, Joshua was dead. (irishtimes.com)
- whatNatascha Suessbier is the mother of baby Joshua who was murdered by her ex-partner (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOver 100 people donated more than €3,100 to the GoFundMe appeal (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe fundraising target is €6,500 for a headstone and surround (irishmirror.ie)
- whatJohn Tighe is 45 years old from Lavallyroe, Cloonfad, Ballyhaunis (irishmirror.ie)
- whatNatascha Suessbier is 29 years old (irishmirror.ie)
- whatJohn Tighe has never shown any remorse (irishmirror.ie)
- whatSix-month-old Joshua Suessbier was murdered. (galwaybeo.ie)
- whereTighe lived in Cloonfad, Ballyhaunis, and the child was murdered at his home. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe headstone is for Joshua's grave in Cloonfad Cemetery (irishmirror.ie)
- whereJoshua died at his home at Lavallyroe, Cloonfad, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo. (galwaybeo.ie)
- whenJoshua died on 1 June 2013, a day after Tighe collected him from his mother. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenJoshua died on 1 June 2013. (galwaybeo.ie)
- causeThe baby was murdered by an ex-partner. (extra.ie)
- causeExperts told the court Joshua could not have formed or swallowed the wad of tissue by himself. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeJoshua fatally choked on a ball of tissue on June 1, 2013 at his home (irishmirror.ie)
- causeJoshua fatally choked on a ball of tissue. (galwaybeo.ie)
- investigationTighe told gardaí he had carelessly left tissues within Joshua's reach while he went to the toilet. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe Court of Appeal dismissed Tighe's appeal on Friday 24 March 2023. (irishtimes.com)
- courtA jury at Central Criminal Court returned a unanimous guilty verdict on 23 March 2018. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict. (irishmirror.ie, galwaybeo.ie)
- courtEarlier in 2023 Tighe's attempt to overturn his conviction failed, and he must serve the life sentence imposed in 2018. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtExpert medical witnesses said Joshua could not have formed or swallowed the wad independently. (galwaybeo.ie)
- courtTighe's most recent bid to have his conviction quashed failed at the Court of Appeal last March. (galwaybeo.ie)
- sentenceTighe will remain in prison serving his life sentence. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceTighe was given a life sentence at the Central Criminal Court in 2018 after being convicted of murdering Joshua. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceJohn Tighe is serving a life sentence for the murder (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceTighe is serving a mandatory life sentence handed down in March 2018. (galwaybeo.ie)
- otherA mother has launched a fundraiser for a headstone in memory of a baby. (extra.ie)
- otherTighe claimed his son's death was an accident. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherTusla staff warned the mother in October 2015 that Tighe was a potential danger to their unborn child. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherTighe has never shown remorse and has refused to recognise the jury's verdict. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe mother plans to launch a GoFundMe page to raise money for a headstone for Joshua. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherTighe claimed he carelessly left a wad of tissues within Joshua's reach while he went to the toilet. (galwaybeo.ie)
- otherA GoFundMe campaign raised almost €4,000 from 125 donors for a new headstone and grave. (galwaybeo.ie)
- otherThe new headstone and grave was completed on 16 November 2023. (galwaybeo.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 29 Nov2023Mum of murdered Irish baby 'grateful' as community helps remember tragic tot
Follow-up feature on the Joshua Suessbier case. It adds the GoFundMe headstone fundraiser, the headstone's completion on 16 November 2023, and Tighe's failed Court of Appeal bid to quash his conviction.
victim, Joshua Suessbier, six months, male, Irish, irishJoshua Suessbierconvicted, John Tighe, 45, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Tighe - 7 Jul2023Mum of murdered baby thanks kind strangers for donations towards headstone
Reports progress on the GoFundMe headstone fundraiser (over €3,100 of €6,500 target from 100+ donors) and includes Natascha Suessbier's first public interview about the ordeal, including her experience of coercive control under Tighe and expert medical evidence contradicting his trial defence.
victim, 6 months, male, non-irish (judged from name)convicted, John Tighe, 45, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Tighevictim, Natascha Suessbier, 29, female, non-irish (judged from name)Natascha Suessbier - 6 Jun2023Mum of baby boy murdered by evil John Tighe tells of ongoing struggle with grief
First interview with the mother since the 2013 death; describes Tusla warning her in 2015 about Tighe, her grief, the failed appeal, Tighe's refusal to accept the verdict, and a planned GoFundMe for a headstone.
victim, Natascha Suessbier, 28, female, non-irish (judged from name)Natascha Suessbiervictim, Joshua, six and a half months, male, irish (judged from name)Joshuaconvicted, John Tighe, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Tighe - 6 Jun2023Devastated Mother Launches Fundraiser For Headstone In Memory Of Baby Who Was Murdered By Ex-Partner
Only the headline is available. The article body is template code, so no place, date, name or further details are given.
victimsuspect - 24 Mar2023Father fails in appeal to quash conviction for murder of his baby son who choked on a ball of tissue
Court of Appeal dismissed Tighe's appeal on 24 March 2023, upholding his 2018 murder conviction and mandatory life sentence. The appeal centred on whether postmortem extracts and Dr Malcolmson's expert opinion should have been admitted given Dr Jaber's absence from the trial.
convicted, John Tighe, 45, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Tighevictim, Joshua Sussbier Tighe, six-and-a-half-month-old, male, irish (judged from name)Joshua Sussbier Tighe