PANAJI: A court in Goa on Thursday postponed the verdict in the 2017 rape and murder case of 28-year-old Irish-British national Danielle McLaughin to Friday.The case came up for hearing before judge Kshama Joshi of the District and Sessions Court, Margao.The verdict in the seven-year-old case will be announced at 2 pm on Friday, the court said.McLaughin was found dead in a forested area of Canacona village in South Goa district on March 14, 2017.Vikat Bhagat (31), a local resident, was arrested in the crime. He is currently lodged at the Central Jail, Colvale in North Goa. Bhagat attended the hearing on Thursday through video conference.Andrea Brannigan, the victim’s mother, is in Goa to witness the conclusion of the judicial process.Vikram Varma, Brannigan’s lawyer, said the family members are hopeful that justice would be done.”The girl died a brutal death. We are hopeful that justice would be done,” he said.The prosecution produced enough evidence against the accused, Varma said, adding that as the victim was dead, the case was mostly based on circumstantial evidence.The woman, who hailed from Donegal in Northwest Ireland, was visiting Goa as a backpacker tourist when Bhagat befriended her, and allegedly murdered her after spending an evening with her.She was hit with a stone which resulted in her death, as per the police charge sheet.
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