A drunk driver who killed a 4-year-old boy in Co. Laois after consuming up to ten pints in April 2014 has had his sentence reduced by 18 months.
Finbarr O’Rourke of Laurel Drive in Portlaoise was originally jailed for seven and a half years for dangerous driving causing the death of Ciaran Treacy.
Mr. Justice Alan Mahon said Finbarr O’Rourke’s decision to drive on April 17th 2015 was a “calculated and callous act”.
The boy’s mother Gillian was driving home from Portlaoise with her two sons when his car crashed head on into theirs near Portarlington.
4-year-old Ciaran died, she suffered severe injuries and her other son was unhurt.
O’Rourke argued the sentence was too severe and claimed he’d been made an example of and not given enough credit for mitigating factors.
The Court of Appeal felt there was an error in principle and ruled in his favour before applying a fresh sentence of eight years with the final two suspended.
Afterwards, John Browne, solicitor for the Treacy family, said they accepted the outcome with a heavy heart.
