Breaking: Man who killed Laois student Joe Drennan gets longer sentence

A young Limerick man who knocked down and killed a Laois student at a bus stop in Limerick city two years has received five more years at the Court of Appeal.

Kieran Fogarty, aged 21, of Hyde Road, Limerick, was earlier this year sentenced to a six-and-a-half year sentence for dangerous driving causing the death of Joe Drennan from Camross in October 2023.

Following a public campaign led by the Laois man's family, the DPP had appealed the leniency of the original sentence. 

He was also given an eight-year sentence for a drive-by shooting in June of the same year but the lower court ruled those sentences could be served at the same time.

Fogarty was on bail at the time of the crash for other offences, a condition of which was that he was forbidden to drive.

There were also five warrants out for his arrest.

The outcome of the appeal means Fogarty will spead a maximum of 13 years behind bars instead of eight.

He is banned from driving for 20 years upon his release from prison.

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