The Dublin architect Philip Sheedy, whose case was at the centre of the controversy earlier this year which led to the resignation of two senior judges, is to be freed on February 27th, the Court of Criminal Appeal has decided. By then Sheedy will have served two years in prison.
Last October, the Court of Criminal Appeal varied to three years a sentence imposed on Sheedy by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the basis it would mean that, with remission, he would serve two years.
Yesterday, Mr Patrick MacEntee SC, for Sheedy, said the upshot of calculations by the prison authorities was Sheedy would have served two years on February 27th. To achieve that, the Court of Criminal Appeal ought to impose a sentence of 34 months and 10 days. The three-judge court then ruled that Sheedy's sentence should be 34 months and 10 days. The presiding judge, Ms Justice Denham, sitting with Mr Justice Geoghegan and Ms Justice McGuinness, said the appeal court had jurisdiction to amend its earlier order.
The Sheedy case was at the centre of the controversy earlier this year which led to the resignations of a Supreme Court judge, Mr Justice Hugh O'Flaherty, and a High Court judge, Mr Justice Cyril Kelly.
In October 1997, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court imposed a four-year sentence on Sheedy, but the trial judge said he would review it in two years. The Court of Criminal Appeal decided the trial judge intended Sheedy would serve 24 months in custody and that he did not err in that regard.
Sheedy was jailed after an accident at Glenview Roundabout, Tallaght, Co Dublin, on the night of March 9th, 1996. A car driven by him was in collision with a car carrying members of the Ryan family, of Tymon Crescent, Old Bawn, Tallaght. Anne Ryan died following the accident and her husband, John, and their two children and another child passenger were injured.