Latest news with #ZigimantasGridziuska
Irish Times
9 hours ago
- General
- Irish Times
How Shane O'Farrell's family spent 14 years searching for the truth after fatal hit-and-run
Shane O'Farrell was 23 when he was the victim of a hit-and-run near his home in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan . A law graduate, he had just submitted his master's thesis and was enjoying a carefree cycle on that August evening in 2011. Questions around how the crash happened soon turned to who was behind the wheel. It was Lithuanian Zigimantas Gridziuska, a man known to the Garda and the courts. During his time in Ireland he had been before the courts many times and accumulated many convictions. On the day he killed Shane and drove off, he had more than 40 convictions, including some in Northern Ireland. READ MORE So how was he free to go out and kill? He had breached his bail conditions many times so why was he not in prison? And where was the justice for Shane when Gridziuska was before the court for the fatal hit-and-run but walked free, allowed return to his family in Lithuania? Since 2011, the O'Farrell family has been seeking answers and has worked tirelessly to understand how the justice system failed their son and brother. His parents Lucia and Jim, and his sisters, Hannah, Pia, Gemma and Aimee were in Leinster House last Tuesday to hear Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan give a State apology to the family 'for the fact that the criminal justice system did not protect him [Shane] as it should have'. Gemma O'Farrell tells In the News about the family's long campaign, how they were stonewalled and disrespected by branches and agencies of the State that should have helped them and how they persisted despite all that. There are, however, still questions to be answered around the institutional failures in the justice system – not only how they relate to their brother's case, but to others. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and John Casey.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Shane O'Farrell: Dáil hears allegations driver in fatal hit and run was ‘garda informer'
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has apologised in the Dáil to the family of the law graduate killed in a hit-and-run incident while cycling near his Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan home, by a repeat offender out on bail. Mr O'Callaghan has appointed a senior counsel to review the bail laws in memory of 23-year-old Shane O'Farrell and the Government is to establish a legal scholarship at UCD. Road traffic legislation in place since 1962 will also be amended to allow a jury convict a person of a lesser offence of careless driving where a person is acquitted for the more serious offence of dangerous driving. The O'Farrell family had called for a full public inquiry into his death in August 2011 when he was struck by Zigimantas Gridziuska, who should have been in prison at the time. READ MORE Mr O'Callaghan signalled however that instead of an inquiry, he has asked senior counsel Lorcan Staines to assess bail laws and identify any necessary changes that need to be made. 'This is not a report that needs to establish facts since those facts are very readily apparent from the charges laid against Garidziuska in the year leading up to the death of Shane O'Farrell.' The minister said the report would not result in people having to invoke their right and 'lawyering up in a process that would inevitably take years. More importantly, it will not need to establish any facts since the relevant facts are already known.' During a Dáil debate Sinn Féin said Gridziuska was a 'garda informer' and had been protected 'above all else'. Mr O'Farrell's family, who had campaigned since his death for an inquiry, were in the distinguished visitors' gallery for the apology and debate. The minister said 'it is incumbent on me, as Minister for Justice to apologise to Shane O'Farrell and the O'Farrell family for the fact that the criminal justice system did not protect him as it should have. 'I do so apologise.' Mr O'Callaghan said 'the loss resulting from his death was incalculable and for the family, interminable'. The State's first failing related to documentation for an appeal by Gridziuska, which was not recorded, the Minister said. He added that the second failure happened when the offender, who committed further offences, was not brought before Judge John O'Hagan, who had granted bail on strict conditions, nor was the judge informed of those offences. If the convictions had been brought to the judge's attention, Gridziuska would probably have been jailed. Gridziuska, a Lithuanian national, left the scene of the fatal crash but the following day handed himself in to gardaí. He had more than 40 convictions at the time, including some in Northern Ireland. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said there were credible allegations that he operated as a garda informant. The party's justice spokesman Matt Carthy said 'many people, myself included, believe that Zigimantas Gridziuska was an informer, that he was permitted to wreak havoc because gardaí prioritised the protection of their source above all else'. Mr Carthy became emotional as he described Mr O'Farrell's mother Lucia as a force of nature whose efforts had resulted in this apology, adding that 'you've done Shane proud'. Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the apology was 'welcome and overdue', adding that 'it is an important day'. Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness, a long-time campaigner on the case, paid tribute to the minister who 'despite obstacles', had shown 'leadership qualities that others should take note of', to 'ensure that justice is done'. Social Democrats acting leader Cian O'Callaghan said the family's trauma, grief and heartache had been compounded by the State's response. He called for all reports on the Monaghan man's death to be published, as he noted that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission had had the case for seven years.
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Shane O'Farrell: Irish government apologises over Monaghan hit-and-run
The Irish government has apologised to the family of a cyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run caused by a driver who should have been in O'Farrell, 23, was struck by a car while cycling near his home in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, in driver, Zigimantas Gridziuska, had more than 40 convictions at the time, including some in Northern in the Dáil Éireann on Tuesday, Tánaiste (Ireland's deputy prime minister) Simon Harris TD said: "We acknowledge failures in the Courts Service and the criminal justice system that exposed Shane to danger on the fateful day of his tragic death." The O'Farrell family have campaigned for a public inquiry into their son's body of the law graduate was found nearly 60 yards (54m) from the point where he was hit by a car on 2 August a Lithuanian national, left the scene of the fatal crash but the following day he handed himself into gardaí (Irish police).He had been a regular defendant in courts in Monaghan, Cavan and Louth in the years prior to the killing, according to RTÉ. In the January, before the fatal crash, a ruling from Monaghan Circuit Court meant Gridziuska should have been in jail at the time of Mr O'Farrell's he remained on prison sentence handed down in February 2011 was also not Court Services of Ireland previously said Gridziuska's prison sentences were never served because of what it described as an administrative part of their long-running campaign, the O'Farrell family have previously travelled to Belfast and Brussels to raise their case in Stormont and the European Parliament. 'Healing wounds' Harris hopes that the apology can "in some small way can start to heal the wounds left by Shane's untimely death"."The harrowing events of that day in August 2011 were just the beginning of a living nightmare for the O'Farrell family," he added that the government has made "a number of decisions" which have been recommended by the minister and have risen from the campaign of the O'Farrell hopes these decisions will "bring about meaningful change" and said that Minister O'Callaghan will outline these decisions in more detail."As tánaiste, I fully endorse and support the apology."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Irish government to apologise over fatal crash
The Irish government is to apologise to the family of a cyclist killed in a hit-and-run by a driver who should have been in jail at the time of the crash. Shane O'Farrell was 23 when he was hit by a car while cycling near his home in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, in 2011. The driver, Zigimantas Gridziuska, had more than 40 convictions at the time, including some in Northern Ireland. Mr O'Farrell's mother, Lucia O'Farrell, told Irish broadcast RTÉ that her family is expecting a public apology to be made in the Dáil (Irish parliament) on Tuesday. The O'Farrell family have campaigned for years for a public inquiry into their son's death. "Shane's case raises serious issues about how the criminal justice system works and how it ought to work," Mrs O'Farrell told RTÉ's Colm Ó Mongáin. "We await the apology on Tuesday." The body of the young law graduate was found nearly 60 yards (54m) from the point where he was hit by a car on 2 August 2011. Gridziuska, a Lithuanian national, left the scene of the fatal crash but the following day he handed himself into gardaí (Irish police). He had been a regular defendant in courts in Monaghan, Cavan and Louth in the years prior to the killing, according to RTÉ In the January before the fatal crash, a ruling from Monaghan Circuit Court meant Gridziuska should have been in jail at the time of Mr O'Farrell's death. Instead, he remained on bail. Another prison sentence handed down in February 2011 was also not imposed. The Court Services of Ireland previously said Gridziuska's prison sentences were never served because of what it described as an administrative error. As part of their long-running campaign, the O'Farrell family have previously travelled to Belfast and Brussels to raise their case in Stormont and the European Parliament. Shane O'Farrell: Irish PM to meet family of County Monaghan hit-and-run victim Irish families take cases to Europe Victims' relatives to go to Stormont
BBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Shane O'Farrell: Irish government to apologise over fatal crash
The Irish government is to apologise to the family of a cyclist killed in a hit-and-run by a driver who should have been in jail at the time of the O'Farrell was 23 when he was hit by a car while cycling near his home in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, in driver, Zigimantas Gridziuska, had more than 40 convictions at the time, including some in Northern O'Farrell's mother, Lucia O'Farrell, told Irish broadcast RTÉ that her family is expecting a public apology to be made in the Dáil (Irish parliament) on Tuesday. The O'Farrell family have campaigned for years for a public inquiry into their son's death. "Shane's case raises serious issues about how the criminal justice system works and how it ought to work," Mrs O'Farrell told RTÉ's Colm Ó Mongáin. "We await the apology on Tuesday."The body of the young law graduate was found nearly 60 yards (54m) from the point where he was hit by a car on 2 August a Lithuanian national, left the scene of the fatal crash but the following day he handed himself into gardaí (Irish police).He had been a regular defendant in courts in Monaghan, Cavan and Louth in the years prior to the killing, according to RTÉ Prison avoided due to 'administrative error' In the January before the fatal crash, a ruling from Monaghan Circuit Court meant Gridziuska should have been in jail at the time of Mr O'Farrell's he remained on prison sentence handed down in February 2011 was also not Court Services of Ireland previously said Gridziuska's prison sentences were never served because of what it described as an administrative part of their long-running campaign, the O'Farrell family have previously travelled to Belfast and Brussels to raise their case in Stormont and the European Parliament.
