A 37-year-old man who admitted killing a father and daughter as a result of a house fire in County Kerry has been jailed for 7 years.
Philip Griffin, of no fixed abode but originally from Tralee, pleaded guilty to manslaughter of Anthony O’Brien and Nadine O’Brien in 2012.
Mr. Griffin was accused of the murder of 30-year-old Anthony O’Brien and his five-year-old daughter Nadine after a house fire in Killeen Heights in Tralee on May 12th 2012.
He pleaded not guilty to those charges, but did admit to manslaughter which was accepted by the DPP.
In sentencing before the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul McDermott said it was a case of gross negligence, rather than an intent to kill or cause serious harm.
He said that while Philip Griffin didn’t know his accomplice planned to set fire to a couch in the O’Brien family home, Mr. Griffin didn’t raise the alarm or contact emergency services.
He said mitigating factors included the person responsible wouldn’t have been detected only for Mr. Griffin came forward – as well as his guilty plea.
The judge handed him a sentence of 7 years in prison with the final six months suspended.
Reporting by Andrew Lowth
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