Catherine Doyle
BBC News NI
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Ronan Keating called the sentence “a slap on the wrist”
The Irish singer-songwriter Ronan Keating has described the justice system in the Republic of Ireland as “broken” after a man avoided a prison sentence for causing the death of his brother in a crash.
“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 ever happened,” Keating posted on Instagram.
Dean Harte, 22, from Tyrellspass, County Westmeath, collided with Ciarán Keating’s car while driving near Swinford, County Mayo, in July 2023.
He was given a 17-month suspended sentence at Castlebar Circuit Court in Mayo on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death.
In a statement, Ronan Keating described the the sentencing as “devastating” and said the Keating family will be “encouraging the DPP to appeal and rightfully fight for justice”.
RTÉ
Harte’s Audi A3 crashed into Mr Keating’s Ford Focus and the 57-year-old died at the scene
On the day of the crash, Ciarán Keating and his wife Annemarie, who was also seriously injured in the crash, had been travelling to watch their son play football.
The court heard how Harte failed to take a bend on a stretch of the N5 between Swinford and Bohola.
Harte’s Audi A3 crashed headlong into Mr Keating’s Ford Focus and the 57-year-old died at the scene.
The court was told nobody was speeding during the incident.
‘Shame on everyone involved’
Writing on social media, the singer described the the sentencing as “devastating” and said the Keating family will be “encouraging the DPP to appeal”.
“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 and it’s morally corrupt that rather than trying to fix our broken system, they all turn a blind eye.
“Shame on Dean Harte but more so, shame on everyone involved in this process that contributed to the heart-breaking outcome for my family.
“The Lord himself knows the injustice that was served and the Keating family will never find peace.
“We will continue to fight for Ciarán’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.”
The Keating Family added: “The only way to stop reckless driving and encourage people (especially youth) to abide by the law, is to enforce consequences for not doing so.”
