Movies

Ronan Keating Slams Justice System After Brother’s Killer Walks Free on Suspended Sentence

BBG News

Ronan Keating and his family expressed dissatisfaction following a case where a man avoided jail time despite being responsible for a car accident that took the life of Ronan’s elder brother.

In July 2023, the singer’s brother, Ciaran, tragically passed away in a car accident while on a journey with his spouse to witness their son participate in a football game.

At Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court on Wednesday, Dean Harte, aged 22, received a 17-month suspended sentence that will hold over him for the next two years.

Ciaran, aged about 50 from Louisburgh, Ireland, experienced severe injuries that proved fatal when he was traveling with his wife at approximately 3:35 PM on the N5 highway close to Swinford, County Mayo. Notably, this accident-prone area on the road is infamously known as a hotspot for collisions.

On Thursday, Ronan shared on Instagram his thoughts about the sentencing: “Today served as a heart-wrenching illustration of the deep flaws in our legal system.

A person could murder another individual… and yet face no jail time at all. Just a light penalty and the freedom to continue living as if nothing had transpired.

Isn’t it perplexing that such conduct persists on our highways, resulting in road fatalities across Ireland each week? After all, this is the question we often ponder.

Instead of attempting to mend our flawed system, they prefer to ignore its issues, even when joking about it. This situation, in essence, is ethically questionable.

I can’t help but express my deep disappointment and dismay, not just towards Dean Harte, but also towards every single individual who played a part in this unfortunate sequence of events that has left my family in sorrow today.

‘The Lord himself knows the injustic that was served and the Keating family will never find peace.

We’ll persistently work towards ensuring justice for Ciaran. Currently, our thoughts are with the other families who find themselves in similar circumstances as us. We can only hope that no other family has to endure what we are going through.

While en route to Westport with a coworker, Dean’s Audi A3 unintentionally moved onto the opposite lane of the road and collided frontally with Ciaran’s Ford Focus.

He died at the scene, at Ballymiles between Swinford and Bohola.

Ciaran Keating was going to see son Ruairí play an Irish Premier League match.

Ciaran’s son Ruairí started the match for Cork against Sligo Rovers, but was taken off at halftime.

24 hours prior to his 28th birthday, the accident occurred. This footballer represented Irish teams such as Sligo Rovers, Galway United, and also Torquay United in England.

At Cork City FC, we’re profoundly sorrowful over the demise of Ciaran Keating, who is the father of our player Ruairí Keating.

At this incredibly tough moment, we offer our heartfelt condolences to Ruairí and all of the Keatings. May he find eternal peace.

Let’s kindly request that everyone respects the privacy of the family during this challenging period. We will share the details of the funeral service when it is appropriate to do so.

Ciaran is believed to have worked as a car salesman and previously ran a bar.

Councilor John O’Malley expressed his sympathy and stated, “The tragic news has left everyone stunned and sorrowful.

Everyone who knew him held him in great esteem, and our thoughts are with his spouse, children, and the wider family circle.

The League of Ireland also expressed its condolences to the Keating family.

The League of Ireland shares their heartfelt condolences upon learning about the unexpected death of Ruairi Keating’s father, Ciaran.

Let me offer my deepest sympathies to Ruairi, his loved ones, and everyone at Cork City Football Club during this particularly challenging period.

During the accident, Ciaran’s wife, seated upfront, sustained critical injuries that required hospitalization and prevented her from attending his funeral because of her health state at the time.

Dean pleaded guilty after being charged with careless driving causing death and serious injury.

In addition to receiving a suspended sentence, Judge Eoin Garavan also prohibited him from operating a vehicle for a period of two years.

Prior to announcing the sentence, Judge Garavan stated that there was neither evidence of intoxication nor any speeding violations, and no particularly reckless instance of hazardous driving occurred previously.

Although the court found no sign of phone usage by Dean around the time of the accident, he had sent a WhatsApp message just moments before.

Evidence was also given that showed there were trace elements of cannabis in the driver’s blood.

At that moment, Dean admitted to consuming cannabis at a gathering a few days prior, as reported to the Irish authorities.

His advice portrayed the incident as an utterly unfortunate event, stating that the lives of the Keating family would be irrevocably altered from now on.

It was mentioned that it might be challenging for those who have lost someone to accept an apology. However, a heartfelt letter of regret from the person in question was proposed, yet, given the circumstances, it was turned down.

At the hearing, Conall, Ciaran’s son, read aloud impact statements written for his mother and their family.

In her own words, she expressed that ‘Ciaran was not only the one I loved deeply, but also the rhythm that pulsed within me. This loss is something I can’t move past and it changes who I am fundamentally.’

She expressed that the grief over Ciaran’s departure will remain eternal, further stating: ‘What was once a joyful dwelling has now become a barren wasteland.’

During the fateful accident, the pair were en route to Sligo, intending to catch Ruairi’s game with Cork City against Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds, where he was scheduled to play in a league match.

In the witness stand, Conall, carrying a picture of his deceased father, shared with Dean that his actions had brought great sorrow upon the entire Keating clan, describing them as both shocking and hard to understand.

Additionally, he left no room for doubt that the Keating family unequivocally rejected any apology letter from Dean.

After the verdict was read at the Castlebar Courthouse, I, a devoted admirer, found myself standing among kinfolk – brothers Conall and Ruari, along with Gary, Ciaran’s sibling – on those very steps, feeling an overwhelming sense of unity and relief.

Speaking aloud what he read on his phone, he expressed: ‘Today’s verdict starkly illustrated the flaws in our justice system.’

‘He (Harte) sent a message from his phone while driving at 15:33 pm, the first 999 call was 15:37.

In this nation, there’s a significant issue concerning young male drivers using their phones while behind the wheel, which poses a substantial risk.

‘Walking away scot-free after taking another’s life, it’s as if no crime was committed at all. Just a light penalty, perhaps a fine or a warning, leaving you to continue living as usual.’

Afterward, it’s not surprising that such conduct persists on our highways, with people losing their lives in traffic accidents throughout Ireland each week. It’s almost comical.

It’s regrettable that Dean Harte is part of this situation, but even more so, it’s disappointing for everyone else involved whose actions led to the painful result my family experienced today.

Read More

2025-02-20 11:07

Previous post Brawl Stars Artillery Tier List (February 2025): All Artillery Brawlers, Ranked
Next post eFootball 2025 v4.3.0 update arrives with new Epic players, added skills, license updates, and other additions