Ronan Keating says his family 'will never find peace' as he blasts suspended sentence for driver who killed his brother in car crash: 'Shame on everyone involved in this process' says former Boyzone singer
Ronan Keating has slammed the Irish justice system after the driver who killed his older brother in a car crash walked free from court.
The former Boyzone singer said his family “will never find peace” after Dean Harte got a suspended sentence for the fatal crash, stating: “The Lord himself knows the injustice that was served.”
In July 2023, Ciaran Keating was killed in a crash in Co Mayo while driving with his wife to watch their son, Irish Premier League player Ruairi, in a football match.
He died at the scene after an Audi A3 driven by Dean Harte crossed onto the wrong side of the road, smashing head on into Ciaran Keating’s car.
On Wednesday (19th) Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court gave 22-year-old Harte a 17-month suspended sentence – something grieving Ronan branded “a slap on the wrist” that’s “a devastating example of just how broken our justice system is”.
In a statement posted to his social media, the star wrote: “You can kill a man and you can just walk free.
“Not even a single night in prison. Just a slap on the wrist and a ticket to carry on your life, like nothing ever happened.
"And then we wonder why we keep seeing this kind of behaviour on our roads, why people keep dying in road accidents across Ireland every week.”
Ronan went on to state: “It’s a joke and it’s morally corrupt that, 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 that contributed to the heart-breaking outcome for my family today.”
Pledging to continue to fight for justice for his brother, Ronan stated: “At this time we think of all the other families who have found themselves in our position, and we pray that other families never do.”
Ciaran Keating and his wife Ann Marie had been driving to watch their son play for Cork City in a premier league match with Sligo Rovers when Dean Harte’s vehicle smashed into them.
He suffered fatal injuries on a stretch of road near Swinford, Co Mayo, known as an accident black-spot.
Ann Marie was hospitalised but survived her injuries from the crash.