[Lucia and Jim O’Farrell hold a picture of their late son, Shane]
You may recall the case of Shane O’Farrell who was 23 when he died in a hit-and-run outside Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan on August 2, 2011.
Yesterday Justice Minister Alan Shatter ordered the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission [GSOC] to carry out a public interest inquiry into his death.
Shane was killed by Zigimantas Gridzuiska, 39, from Lithuania. Gridzuiska, who had 40 previous convictions in three different jurisdictions and was out on bail on the night Shane died.
On Tonight With Vincent Browne, on April 3, Shane’s mother Lucia said on July 6, 2011 – three weeks before Shane’s death – that the car in which Gridzuiska was driving on the night Shane died was pulled up by members of the Drug Squad.
She said: “[Gridzuiska] was well known to them and he was found with a substance and charred tinfoil. Apparently this man snorted his heroin. He would put a lighter under the tinfoil and he snorted his heroin and instead of confiscating or seizing the car and preventing him driving, this man was allowed continue to drive and hold a driving licence.”
She also said that members of the Drugs Squad also stopped Gridzuiska just an hour before Shane was killed.
She said: “[Gridzuiska] was pulled up again an hour before he killed our son because the number was known to the Drugs Squad. He was found with two other Lithuanian heroin addicts, the driver was uninsured, they took them out and searched them, this car had no NCT certificate, it was driven by an uninsured driver and they were waved on.”
Two days after Shane’s death, Gridzuiska was brought to Dundalk Court for a special sitting. At the time he was three months into a four-month suspended sentence over a previous conviction. It’s Mrs O’Farrell’s understanding that the gardaí never informed the judge of this or asked for the judge for his suspended sentence to be activated. Mrs O’Farrell also alleges that gardaí never objected to Gridzuiska getting bail.
On Tonight with Vincent Browne, Mrs O’Farrell also alleged: “There was gross misconduct and corruption and following it to mop up, to cover up.”
Judge Pat McCartan acquitted Gridzuiska of dangerous driving causing death. He was then given the choice of eight months in prison or to leave the country within 21 days. He left.
Previously: Failure Of Duty
Pic: Irish Independent
