The family of Dale Creighton, who was beaten to death in Tallaght three years ago, say the sentences handed down to his killers are “too lenient”.
Five men were today handed sentences of between three and seven and a half years for his manslaughter.
In the early hours of New Year’s Day 2014, Dale Creighton was chased to a footbridge in Tallaght on suspicion of mugging one of the accused – Aisling Burke of Beechpark, Collinstown, Co. Westmeath.
Her brother David was caught on camera giving him a severe beating even after establishing he didn’t have her phone. He was jailed for seven and a half years.
Four other men from the Tallaght have also been sent to prison for their parts in his death.
Helena Darcy – a spokesperson for the Creighton family – made a brief statement outside court afterwards: “Dale was a shy young man who loved his family unconditionally, he had his whole life ahead of him.
“But on that dreadful New Years morning those people decided they had the right to take it from him.”
Aisling Burke, who has a five year old son, was jailed for one year for violent disorder, while James Reid of Glen Aoibhinn in Gorey, Co. Wexford was handed a two year fully suspended sentence for possession of a knife.
Helena says the family doesn’t think the sentences go far enough: “While we appreciate the difficulty Judge Murphy had in sentencing these people, we the family, feel the sentences given were too lenient.”
