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.