Street savagery: What is at the root of violence?

This has been a particularly gruelling week for Joe and Rosie Dolan, from Carrick-on-Shannon in Leitrim, but no more challenging or heart rending than any of the near 30 months that have passed since their son Andrew, a successful and optimistic 20-year-old college student, died after a random, drink-fuelled attack by three strangers on the streets of Mullingar.

Andrew was unknown to his attackers and had no communication with them before they fatally attacked him. He was the very definition of an innocent in absolutely the wrong place at the very worst time.

Earlier this week, after 21 traumatic court appearances, just one of Andrew’s attackers was sent to jail for three-and-a-half years after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter. The two others involved did not receive custodial sentences. The very length of the court process must have added considerably to the Dolans’ anguish and it suggests again that our arcane, far too cumbersome courts system needs a robust spring cleaning.