A man convicted of driving with excess alcohol at the scene of an accident in which a garda and a fire officer were killed has been given a 20 year driving ban at the Circuit Court in Limerick.
21-year-old Niall Shannon of Lenamore, Ballylongford, Co Kerry, had denied dangerous driving causing the deaths of Garda Brian Kelleher and fireman Michael Liston at Askeaton, Co Limerick, on 25 February 2007.
A jury failed to reach a decision on the charge of dangerous driving during the course of two trials in 2008 and 2009.
Today, Shannon appeared at the circuit court on the charge of having excess alcohol in his system.
Judge Carroll Moran said he did not believe a custodial sentence was appropriate, as it would overturn the decision, or lack of decision, by the juries.
Nor did he believe that it was appropriate to impose a fine, as it would be seen as putting a value on the lives of Mr Kelleher and Mr Liston.
But Judge Moran did feel he could impose a substantial driving disqualification, and he banned Shannon from driving for 20 years and refused leave to appeal that decision.
