Latest news with #prison sentence
Irish Times
20 hours ago
- Irish Times
‘Upset, frustrated, angry': Woman criticises sentence given to late father's wife over his unlawful killing
A Dublin woman has criticised the leniency of the prison sentence given to her late father's wife and carer for unlawfully killing him. Olesja Hertova (49), of Hastings Lawn, Balbriggan, Dublin, admitted that she had 'forcefully' pushed James 'Shey' Ryan (69) resulting in his death on August 11th last. She was jailed for two years and nine months, backdated to last August, by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court earlier this month. The judge said Hertova, who had no previous convictions, had 'lost her temper with Mr Ryan', with CCTV footage from the night in question showing that he struck his head after being pushed. The couple had been together for 16 years. READ MORE 'I have no doubt that she did not intend to kill him,' Judge Nolan said. He noted that Mr Ryan, a former soldier who had Parkinson's disease and COPD , 'seems to have been a very popular and vital to his family' and his death had caused 'huge trauma'. Mr Ryan's daughter, Karen Ryan, on Tuesday said she had been suspicious of the circumstances surrounding her father's death as there was a history of domestic violence by Hertova, a Czech national, against him and another family member. Karen Ryan leaving the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin. Photograph: Collins Courts However, she was told the details of the domestic violence had to be retracted from her victim impact statement because Hertova had pleaded guilty. 'If this had gone to trial, all that domestic violence history would have been allowed into trial. But because she had admitted [to the charge], it's not allowed in,' she told RTÉ's Oliver Callan show. Regarding the sentence imposed, Ms Ryan said it left her feeling 'numb, shocked, upset, frustrated, angry'. 'I don't think there's enough words in the dictionary to describe how the whole family felt. We were brought in by the DPP a couple of weeks prior to this to say that she's probably going to serve less than five years. 'We were told that any domestic violence incidents that were called to the house would not be taken into effect because she had admitted to it and it wasn't going to trial.' Ms Ryan said the family would like to see a change in the relevant laws so a judge could ask whether there was a history of domestic violence in a home should such a situation arise in court. 'My dad had two safety orders that were never put through the courts,' she added. 'When we were going through his documents in the house, we found one of them.' She said a family member had told her Hertova found another of the orders and ripped it up. She said she did not know why Mr Ryan did not activate the safety order. The court heard Mr Ryan had purchased a half-bottle of vodka for Hertova to have at a barbecue at their house in the hours before he was injured. Once she had consumed the bottle of vodka, she went to the shop and purchased more alcohol. After the barbecue, Mr Ryan went to a local pub and at 1am was seen entering a takeaway. He then took a taxi home, arriving at 1.30am. The court heard that when Mr Ryan arrived home, he and Hertova began to argue, and Mr Ryan walked out the front door of his home and unlocked a car in the driveway. Hertova followed him out and told him not to drive. She then pushed Mr Ryan, and he fell to the ground. An ambulance transferred Mr Ryan to Beaumont Hospital where he was later referred to palliative care. He died on August 11th. Ms Ryan said she would encourage anyone experiencing domestic violence, be they male or female, to speak to someone about their situation.
Free Malaysia Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Anwar open to talks with Umno leaders over Najib's royal addendum
One hundred and sixty Umno division chiefs have urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to uphold a royal addendum allowing Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his prison term under house arrest. PUTRAJAYA : Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is prepared to hold discussions with Umno leaders over a royal addendum allowing former party president Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest. Anwar said he was aware that several Umno division chiefs had recently voiced concerns over the matter. 'I am ready to meet with them, provide clarification if needed, or take any steps necessary to preserve harmony,' he told reporters after Friday prayers here. Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar is appealing to set aside a majority 2-1 ruling on Jan 6 that allowed Najib's application to adduce additional evidence on the addendum and order the High Court to hear his judicial review. Umno division chiefs, however, said the attorney-general should 'uphold' the addendum and 'support justice'. They also called on Anwar to implement the addendum. Separately, Anwar said he hoped speculation over alleged interference in judicial appointments will be put to rest following the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's assent to several key postings. 'The allegations of interference have been proven baseless, after weeks of attacks and slander directed at me,' he said. 'I hope that with this explanation, and with the decision endorsed by the Conference of Rulers and approved by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the slander and anxiety surrounding this issue can now be laid to rest.' In a statement yesterday, the office of the chief registrar said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had consented to Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh's appointment as chief justice, Abu Bakar Jais's appointment as president of the Court of Appeal, and Azizah Nawawi's appointment as chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak. They will be sworn in and presented with their letters of appointment at Istana Negara on July 28.
