THE devastated family of murdered Laura Donnelly yesterday fought back the tears when they spoke about their loss.

While Thomas Brophy was starting his life behind bars for the murder of 22-year-old Miss Donnelly, her family described the ''eight months of hell'' since she was killed while she walked home from a night out in Paisley.

Her mother, Mrs Anne Donnelly, 51, struggled to contain her emotion as she spoke on behalf of her family and that of Miss Donnelly's boyfriend Gary Woods, 22.

Speaking at Strathclyde Police's headquarters in Glasgow, she said: ''The families of Laura and Gary wish to thank friends and neighbours for all their love and support shown to us over the last eight months.

''We have gone through hell since the night Laura was taken from us just five minutes from her own door. During the trial, no-one told of all the good and kind things Laura did for people.

''For example, there was an occasion when a friend's son had his bike stolen and Laura and Gary got together and bought a second-hand bike. This was so typical.''

Mrs Donnelly said Brophy's lawyer had questioned her decision to walk home alone. ''According to the defence, what a bad girl she was to have the audacity to walk home on a lovely summer's night.

''If this was the case, it was the one and only bad thing she ever did in her only too short life - and she paid the price.

''Our only consolation is that she is in heaven and will never again meet this monster who did this, as he'll go to hell.''

Mrs Donnelly also paid tribute to the prosecution team and the hard work of the police, especially the team of liaison officers which helped the family cope following the murder.

She also thanked her friends. the local Roman Catholic church, and Father Charlie Kavanagh, for their help in her ordeal.

''I do not know how we would have managed without their support - the people of Paisley, my parish, workmates, and friends. It has been a terrible eight months and we are very lucky as far as we have got great, great friends.''

Asked for her reaction to the verdict, Mrs Donnelly said later: ''The law has dealt with the monster that did such a terrible, terrible crime. How anybody could have looked at her face-to-face and did what he did, I will never understand, never.

''We are pleased with the verdict. It was a dreadful ordeal and thank God justice has been done eight months to the day since Laura was taken away.''

However, Mrs Donnelly added: ''We are very concerned about young Gary. Our lives aren't going to change. She's away. No matter what verdict came back it doesn't make any difference as far as our lives go. But Gary has got to move on. He's a young man and it's going to be very difficult. As he says, how can you replace somebody like her?''

Miss Donnelly's brother Alan, an analyst programmer with the Bank of America in London, said the family felt justice had been done, but added: ''Twenty years is not long enough in our eyes, but he won't do it to any other females.''

He continued ''The first week after it happened I used the words emotional carnage. It was as if a tornado had come through the house. It was very difficult for everybody and tremendously stressful. I no longer live in the house, so obviously I feel very guilty about going back and I have been phoning home every day.''

Asked about how the family would face the future, he said: ''We have to look positively to the future. Obviously, Laura won't physically be a part of it but she will always be in our thoughts.

''My dad has taken it very badly. He shares the same revulsion that we all have for the crime that was committed. I think the overwhelming tragedy is the fact that it was only 150 yards from where my mum and dad live so he's not been very well.''

Miss Donnelly's body was found the day after she went missing while walking home alone from a night out with friends.

Brophy, who had been drinking heavily earlier in the day, beat her about the head, raped and strangled her, and left her body in undergrowth at Ferguslie Cricket Club, Paisley.

Crucial DNA evidence was found linking Brophy, of Lochinver Crescent, Paisley, to the attack after police officers carrying out tests on men in Paisley matched a swab taken from him to samples from Laura's body. A police forensic scientist said it was a billion to one chance that someone would have the same DNA profile as Brophy.

The slightly-built 21-year-old, who has a hearing disorder which the court heard had made him isolated in childhood, listened to the proceedings on special earphones.

Throughout the trial, he had shown little emotion, but the court had heard he had no previous convictions and was regarded as a loner.

He had seldom been in employment, but Laura's boyfriend had told the court how, when she worked at a video rental store, a man called Thomas with a hearing aid had asked her on a date, which she had refused.

Workmates of Laura also told the court that Brophy had been a regular customer at the store.