Philip Sheedy and the Courts

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• Philip Sheedy was involved in a car accident in which Anne Ryan was killed. He was arrested by Gardai and charged with dangerous driving causing death and being under the influence of alcohol while driving. He appeared in the Circuit Court before Judge Cyril Kelly (criminal case). Philip Sheedy pleaded guilty. Judge Kelly adjourned sentencing to a later date.
• On the 20 October 1997 Sheedy was sentenced to 4 years in prison by Judge Matthews. Sheedy was allowed to have his sentence reviewed in two years.
• Shortly after the sentence Sheedy's solicitor applied to Judge Matthews to set aside the review date. Matthews agreed to this. Sheedy felt he had a good chance of getting early release. He would not get early release if a sentence review was due in two years time.
• A year later Sheedy was still in prison and early release did not look likely. He now tried to get his sentence review relisted. Through a bizarre set of circumstances his case was relisted on the 12 November 1998 before Judge Cyril Kelly. This was just over a year after he went to prison and a year before the original review date for sentence as set by Judge Matthews.
• Cyril Kelly suspended the remainder of the sentence (3 years) and Sheedy walked free.
• The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) went to the High Court to seek a review of the circumstances behind the release. However before the High Court heard the case, Sheedy voluntarily went back to prison.
• Later Sheedy appealed against the severity of the sentence to the Court of Criminal Appeal. This court reduced his sentence to 3 years and with remission for good behaviour meant he was released in February 2000 having served nearly two and a half years.
• Meanwhile, John Ryan, the widower of Anne Ryan, took a civil action to the High Court seeking compensation. John Ryan was the plaintiff and Philip Sheedy the defendant. This was settled in October 1999 where he received £260,000