A drunk driver who killed a young Laois boy and seriously injured his mother and brother has been released from prison.
The Irish Daily Star is reporting that Portlaoise man Finbarr O’Rourke, 41, was released from Shelton Abbey prison in Wicklow yesterday – four years and a half years into his sentence.
O’Rourke, who had drank up to ten pints on April 17 2014, struck a vehicle containing Ciaran, Gillian and Sean Treacy – killing the then four-year-old Ciaran.
He then left the scene of the accident.
O’Rourke was originally sentenced in 2016 to seven and a half years for dangerous driving causing the death of little Ciaran in Ballymorris, Portarlington.
However, the Court of Appeal subsequently re-sentenced him to eight years with the final two years suspended.
And now, with standard remission of 25%, he has walked free from prison just over six years after the anniversary of Ciaran’s death.
An Irish Prison Service spokesperson confirmed to LaoisToday that Mr O’Rourke was due to be released on Saturday at the end of his sentence but that was brought forward to Thursday as prisoners are not released at the weekend due to a numbe rof logistical issues.
The Star is reporting that the Treacy family were made aware of O’Rourke’s release by authorities but have not made any comment as yet.
Since Ciaran’s sad passing, Gillian and her family have become the centre of a number of Road Safety adverts which detailed the traumatic effect of drink driving on loved ones that are left behind.
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