Ronan Keating has issued an emotional statement after a man was given a suspended sentence following the death of this brother Ciaran in road traffic collision in 2023.
Dean Harte, 22, was driving his Audi A3 which veered on to the wrong side of the N5 and collided head on with a Ford Focus car driven by Ciaran Keating in July 2023.
Mr Keating, who was 57, died at the scene at Ballymiles, Co Mayo. His wife Annmarie, a front seat passenger, suffered life-threatening injuries and could not attend her husband’s funeral.
At a sentencing hearing yesterday in Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, Harte, of Mullingar Road, Tyrellspass, Co Westmeath, was handed a 17-month jail term suspended for two years.
Some of Mr Keating’s family, including his three children who were in court, reacted with disbelief and anger at Judge Eoin Garavan’s decision.
Singer Ronan took to social media on Thursday morning to share his anger and devastation at the sentencing.
He posted: "Today's sentencing was a devastating example of how broken our justice system is. You can kill a man and walk free, not even a single night in prison. Just a slap on the wrist and a ticket to carry on with your life, like nothing ever happened.", reports RSVP Live.
"And then we wonder why we keep seeing this kind of behaviour on our roads, why people dying in road accidents across Ireland every week.
"It's a joke and it's morally corruptive. 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 who contributed to the heartbreaking outcome for my family today".
Ronan vowed that the family will continue to fight for justice for their brother.
He added: "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 families who have found themselves in our position, and we pray that others never do."
Dean Harte was also banned from driving for two years. Judge Garavan said there was no evidence of intoxication, no speed issues and “no egregious example of earlier dangerous driving”.
There were trace elements of cannabis in the driver’s blood. Defence counsel John Shortt described the accident as “an
absolute tragedy”.
The Boyzone star recently opened up about the ongoing struggles his family faces following Ciaran's passing. "I miss my brother. There are times where I hear from his kids, my nephews, and it upsets me," he candidly shared during an appearance on Nicky Byrne's podcast.
Reflecting on his brother's children, he continued, "They're not doing well. They're struggling. They have lost their main man. He was incredibly important to all of them and it's just devastating every day."
Speaking about his own difficulties in processing the loss, Ronan admitted that it has made him contemplate his own life's fragility. "It's been very hard to deal with," he said.
"It's the mortality. It could be me; I could be next. When does this end? I've lost all these great people in my life. I don't think I can take any more. I don't think I can."
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