BROKEN SYSTEM
‘We’ll never find peace’ – Ronan Keating’s heartache after brother’s killer walks free and devastated family make vow
A man appeared in court yesterday
RONAN Keating has hit out at the justice system after a man has escaped jail time following his brother's tragic death.
Dean Harte, 22, was given a 17-month suspended sentence for a period of two years at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
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Ciaran Keating was killed by Harte in a road accident on the N5 in Mayo, near Swindon, while travelling with his wife Annmarie to see their son play a soccer match in July 2023.
His wife, who was a front seat passenger, was hospitalised with life-threatening injuries and was unable to attend his funeral due to her condition.
Harte was travelling with a work colleague to Westport when his Audi A3 veered onto the wrong side of road and smashed head on with Mr Keating's Ford Focus.
Mr Keating died at the scene at Ballymiles between Swinford and Bohola.
Following the verdict, the Boyzone star fumed over the "broken system" and said his family is "hugely disappointed" in two statements.
Taking to Instagram, Keating said: "No family should ever have to make an official statement of this nature, we thank you for your time and patience while we digested and composed ourselves after the upsetting events that transpired yesterday.
"The Keating family are surprised and hugely disappointed with the sentence and hope and expect the DPP to appeal the leniency of it.
"We will be encouraging the DPP to appeal and rightfully fight for justice. Not only for Ciaran and our family, but for all of those killed on Irish roads and at the hands of someone else's careless actions."
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"The only way to stop reckless driving and encourage people (especially youth) to abide by the law, is to enforce consequences for doing so".
In an earlier statement, also shared on Instagram, Keating had deemed the result a "slap on the wrist."
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He said: "Today's sentencing was a devastating example of just how broken our justice system is.
"You can kill a man… and you can walk free. Not even a single night in prison. Just a slap on the wrist and a ticket to carry on your life, like nothing happened.
"And then we wonder why we keep seeing this kind of behaviour on our roads, why people keep dying in road accidents across Ireland every week? It's a joke".
'NEVER FIND PEACE'
He added that his family will now "never find peace" due to the decision made by the courts.
Ronan said: "Shame on Dean Harte but more-so shame on everyone involved in this process that contributed to the heartbreaking outcome of the family today.
"The lord himself knows the injustice that was served and the Keating family will never find peace.
"We will continue to fight for Ciaran's justice. At this time we think of all the other families who have found themselves in our position, and we pray that other families never do."
SUSPENDED SENTENCE
Harte pleaded guilty after being charged with careless driving causing death and serious injury.
Alongside his suspended 17-month sentence, he was also banned from driving for two years by Judge Eoin Garavan.
Before imposing sentence today, Judge Garavan said there was no evidence of intoxication, no speed issues and “no egregious example of earlier dangerous driving”.
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While the court heard there had been no evidence of phone activity on Harte’s part at the time of the impact, he had dispatched a WhatsApp message a short time earlier.
Evidence was also given of trace elements of cannabis in the driver’s blood.
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