DPP to appeal sentence for Laois student's killer

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is to appeal the sentence handed down to the killer of Laois student Joe Drennan.

The DPP’s office confirmed this morning that the controversial sentence will be appealed on the grounds that it was too lenient.

The decision follows protests in Laois, Limerick and outside Leinster House, together with an online petition signed by almost 12,000 people since last Thursday.

Speaking to the Limerick Voice newspaper, where her late son was editor-in-chief at the time of his tragic death, Joe’s mother Marguerite said: “We got the appeal! It’s great news, thank God. We are delighted and we want to thank everyone who has helped support our campaign.” 

Last month, Kieran Fogarty from Limerick was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for dangerous driving causing the death of University of Limerick student Joe (21) in October 2023.

However, Judge Colin Daly ordered that the sentence run concurrently with an eight-year term for an unrelated drive-by shooting at a house in April 2023.

The decision meant that Fogarty, who has 46 previous convictions and was out on bail when he killed Joe, would not serve any jail time for causing the death of the talented journalism student from Knocknagad, Camross.

The Drennan family described the decision as "disgusting" and a Justice for Joe campaign was set up, urging the DPP to intervene.

Marguerite said that, regardless of the outcome of the appeal, the family would press ahead with their online petition calling on the government and justice minister to amend the law to ensure that multiple sentences for serious crimes, particularly those involving loss of life, are served consecutively rather than concurrently.

She said: "It won’t bring Joe back, but it will help other families.”