Two cousins, who caused the death of another youth in a row after a disco and then tried to conceal the circumstances, have each been jailed for 15 months by Judge Dominic Lynch.
Ronan McGrath (19), Deerpark Road, Castleknock, Dublin, and Fergal Cagney (21), Greenacres, Kilteely, Co Limerick, were convicted of reckless endangerment which led to the death of David Langan on August 25th, 2000, a month ago after an eight-day trial.
The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury acquitted both men of the manslaughter of Mr Langan on August 30th, 2000.
The deceased was in a coma in Beaumont Hospital for five days after he was struck by Cagney, who was urged to do so by McGrath, on Portobello Bridge after all three had attended the Palace disco in Camden Street.
Mr Langan hit the back of his head off the road and received injuries from which he never recovered.
His body was exhumed the following December after new evidence emerged that the blow to his head was caused by being deliberately struck and then falling over.
Judge Lynch described it as a tragic incident and it was clear that both men had not intended to kill Mr Langan.
"It's clear from the evidence that the death of the late Mr Langan was unintentional but the consequences cannot be overlooked," he said.
"The evidence was that Mr Cagney, who initially acted as a peacemaker, struck the accused after being urged to do so by Mr McGrath but I do not propose to deal with both accused differently.
"The appropriate sentence in this case would be three years but I take into account that both are of excellent character and their prospects for the future are very good. They also co-operated with the gardaí, albeit after the initial concealment of the facts.
"However, I must impose a custodial sentence," he concluded. He imposed a term of detention on McGrath, because of his young age, and a term of imprisonment for Cagney.
Mrs Kay Langan, the victim's mother, said she felt that justice had been done in the case and that she and her family now had to try and get on with their lives.
"We never wanted the two boys to be locked up for years but we feel that justice has been done. We don't feel bitter but our lives would have been made much easier if the boys who were there had been honest about what happened.
" Our pain wouldn't heal if we held any bitterness.
"Losing David has created such a gap in our lives. His sister Shauna had to leave school for a year and his brother Ciarán doesn't speak about him at all. That's his way of coping with it.
"The terrible grief and sorrow can be unbearable at times and the pain never leaves our hearts but we know David is helping us to get by," Mrs Langan said.
Det Garda Joseph McLoughlin told Mr Michael Durack SC, prosecuting, that Mr Langan and McGrath had an altercation outside the disco. Both knew each other and had gone out that night with a group of friends.
Mr Langan was pulled up Camden Street towards Portobello by a friend but they were followed by the two accused. McGrath was shouting at the victim and Cagney was trying to calm him down.
McGrath and Cagney reached Portobello Bridge moments after Mr Langan and it was there that the incident occurred.
An ambulance was called and Mr Langan was taken to St James's Hospital before being transferred to Beaumont the following morning.
Both accused maintained that Mr Langan fell over and hit his head. New evidence emerged later and the body was exhumed. A second post-mortem was then performed by the State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison.
Counsel for the accused men pleaded with Judge Lynch for leniency because both came from good family backgrounds and they were unlikely to trouble the courts again.