The terrible suffering of his parents has been further exacerbated by the suspicion that something untoward took place before his death. In her victim impact statement to the Central Criminal Court in Ennis, Majella Holohan asked a question that haunts her: "Why was semen found on Robert's body?"

Earlier this year, Wayne's father Ray O'Donoghue tried to reassure her in this newspaper when he said that nothing of a sexual nature had happened between their sons. Today, for the first time Wayne O'Donoghue properly addresses the issue.

Speaking from the Midlands prison, where he is serving a four-year term, he gives an explanation for the semen in Robert's right hand. He says that when, in a panic, he brought the lifeless child to the bathroom, he laid him down and tried to take his pulse. It was there the transfer of semen took place from the bath mat to Robert's hand. The forensic scientist who tested the samples backs this up and says that the semen on the bath mat came from another member of the O'Donoghue family. Wayne's explanation for the contact in the bathroom is feasible.

In relation to the removal of Robert's shoes, he says one fell off before he placed the child in the boot of his car. He gives a heartbreaking description of the child's body rolling about in the boot of his car as he drove at breakneck speed to Inch beach.

This, he says, may have dislodged the shoe from his other foot.

To all right-thinking people, Wayne O'Donoghue's actions on that awful day in January 2005 are incomprehensible. He says he panicked when Robert lost consciousness at his hands. We will never know if there could have been a different outcome had he called for help.

He added hugely to the Holohan family's terrible agony by taking part in the increasingly desperate search for Robert. He says he didn't sleep and was relieved to finally confess to his father who called the gardai.

He says he wanted to kill himself.

But despite his self-absorption, he reached out to Majella Holohan in her nightmare and reassured her that Robert would be found. This was an act of unbelievable cruelty when he knew that his neighbour and pal was lying dead in a ditch at Inch strand. He did not confess until 12 days after Robert Holohan went missing.

Today, Wayne O'Donoghue is repentant and racked with guilt. He is horrified at his actions. He thinks about what happened day and night and he cannot say how sorry he is. He understands the enormity of what he has done, but he is adamant that he is not a paedophile. He is lucky to have a good family and his girlfriend standing by him.

Wayne O'Donoghue can never make amends to Mark and Majella Holohan for taking away their precious son. The burden of his actions that day will be with him, and with the Holohan and O'Donoghue families, for the rest of their lives. But the remorse of Wayne O'Donoghue today and his assurances are to be welcomed and may offer some small consolation.