Man (70) held over death of father of four in hit-and-run

Gardaí have arrested a 70-year-old man for questioning about the death of a father of four in a hit-and-run incident while out cycling in Co Kerry over three years ago.

Detectives arrested the man at his home in Meelin in North Cork Thursday morning for questioning about the death of Paud O’Leary (42), from Gneeveguilla, Co Kerry on July 1st, 2012.

Mr O’Leary was out for a training cycle on his bike for the Ring of Kerry Cycle on the morning in question when he was struck by a vehicle at Scrahanfadda, Gneeveguilla that failed to stop.

His body was later found by relatives searching for him and gardaí began an investigation to try and identify the hit and run driver who fatally injured Mr O’Leary but failed to stop.

Last year, Shane Fitzgerald (23) of Upper Knockeen, Knockduff, Meelin, Co Cork was extradited back to Ireland from the UK to be charged in connection with Mr O'Leary's death

And earlier this year, Fitzgerald, who had denied any involvement in the incident, was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of Mr O’Leary following a trial at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court.

Fitzgerald was sentenced to six and a half years in jail for the offence by Judge Thomas O’Donnell, who suspended the final 18 months of the sentence and he banned him from driving.

It is understood the man arrested on Thursday by gardaí was arrested for questioning about being an accessory to the fatal hit and run for which Fitzgerald was convicted and jailed in March this year.

The man was arrested under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and can be held for up to 24 hours and he is currently detained in Bandon Garda Station for questioning about the incident.

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