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A 23-year-old man who murdered two men in Sligo last year has been sentenced to life in prison.

Yousef Palani, of Markievicz Heights in Sligo, killed two men and seriously assaulted a third during a four day spree of violence in April 2022.

At the sentencing hearing this afternoon of Yousef Palani, the court heard that he targeted gay men using a LGBT dating app and that he was motivated by hostility and prejudice towards homosexual men.

The court heard that one of the victims, Aidan Moffat, was decapitated and had 43 stab wounds.

Another victim, Michael Snee, was stabbed 25 times, mainly to the head, neck and chest.

While a third man, Anthony Burke, who survived an attack, lost sight in one eye after being stabbed.

Yousef Palani was given two life sentences and a 20-year sentence has also been imposed for the serious assault of Anthony Burke.