The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is considering a new garda file following a “thorough review” of the investigation into the death of Stephen Lynch (31), who was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Tallaght over seven years ago.
A sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court heard on Tuesday that a “supplementary file” is with the DPP, with Garda awaiting direction from the office.
Mr Lynch, a father of three from the Tallaght area, was struck by a vehicle at Brookfield Close estate on April 13th, 2017, and was later pronounced dead at the scene. No one has ever been charged over Mr Lynch’s death.
Detective Inspector Jason Miley told that court that he had hoped to have direction from the DPP on the new file in advance of Tuesday’s hearing. He asked coroner Dr Cróna Gallagher for a short adjournment of the case.
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Brian Doyle, solicitor for Mr Lynch’s mother Vera Donovan, said his client was very upset and disappointed at continual delays of the inquest. He said that “nothing has been advanced in seven years” in Mr Lynch’s case, and that there has been a number of “false starts” to the inquest.
Dr Cróna Gallagher said that she had previously intended to hold the inquest into Mr Lynch’s death, but with direction awaited from the DPP, her “hands are tied”.
“I have no discretion – once there’s DPP instruction outstanding, I must wait,” Dr Gallagher said.
The court heard that “head injury” was listed as Mr Lynch’s cause of death in a death certificate issued to the bereaved family.
Dr Cróna Gallagher said that Ms Donovan, who was present in court, had the “ongoing sympathies” of the court. “I know this has been going on a very long time.”
At the time of Mr Lynch’s death, gardaí believed that Mr Lynch was involved in an altercation before he was deliberately run over. The car involved in the incident was abandoned at the Brookfield Close estate.
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