Sentencing policy - ‘Life’ should mean life for Dundon

Following the jailing of John Dundon — the notorious gang leader who ordered a murder that triggered the killing of Shane Geoghegan, a totally innocent victim in the wrong place at the wrong time — the people of Limerick and of Ireland will breathe a sigh of relief that such a heinous and evil figure has been put behind bars for life.

However, in the aftermath of this landmark case, there is the need for renewed debate as to what a ‘life sentence’ really means. The answer to whether Dundon will spend the rest of his life in jail, is almost certainly in the negative. As the law stands, he is highly unlikely to spend the rest of his days behind bars.

So, you might ask, how long will he be in jail — will he be released after spending a mere seven or 10 years in prison, free to inflict a new reign of terror on the people of Limerick? On the lips of people up and down the country today, these burning questions go to the heart of a long-running discussion in these columns on the inconsistency of sentencing policy.

How often, for instance, has Justice Paul Carney, a leading member of the judiciary and a noted authority on criminal law, found himself in the position of having to justify giving a less severe lenient sentence to a defendant than the public might expect because he feared that a tougher verdict risked being overturned on appeal, as frequently happened.

That Dundon had absolutely no respect for the rule of law and order was plain to see in his utter contempt for the court while the sentence was being read out. He could be heard humming to himself as he listened to music on headphones. Not alone was his attitude disgraceful, it was an affront to the court, an affront to democracy and an affront to society.

There can be no denying that he should have been ordered to remove the headphones. Inexplicably, however, he was not told to take them off by the three judges of the non-jury Special Criminal Court. Yet, had any of the legal representatives present not worn their jackets, they would be roundly censured. Arguably, if Dundon refused to remove the headphones on being ordered to do so, he should have been found in contempt of court, a matter treated more severely than wrongdoing.

It would be hard to exaggerate the significance of this case. While he did not pull the trigger, Dundon ordered a murder and was found as guilty as if he himself had killed Shane Geoghegan, the Garryowen rugby player tragically shot as he walked to the home he shared with his girlfriend. The verdict underlines the value of hounding crime bosses.

His jailing is immensely important as it symbolises the end of the notorious Limerick gangs. Now that organised crime has been virtually wiped out there, rundown parts of the city need jobs, development and better housing.

Yesterday’s conviction, to be appealed, was a historic day for the people of Limerick, the justice system, the gardaí and the nation. The question of what a life sentence means has been brought into sharp focus. It refuses to go away and warrants greater clarity.

A scumbag like Dundon — and that’s the only word for him — should be kept behind bars until he is no longer a threat to the people of Limerick or any other community.