The Court of Criminal Appeal has reserved judgment on an appeal by a teenage boy against the severity of the life sentence imposed on him for the murder of a schoolboy in a row over a mobile telephone.
Darren Goodwin, Graigue, Mountmellick, Co Laois, was found guilty at the Central Criminal Court last July of murdering Darragh Conroy (14), Brian Lane, Mountmellick, in November 2003. He had denied the charge.
When sentencing Goodwin to life, Mr Justice Barry White said he could return before the court on the 10th anniversary of his trial and, if he was still alive, he would review the sentence then.
Moving Goodwin's appeal yesterday, Patrick Gageby SC said the main ground of appeal was that the trial judge should have imposed a fixed sentence.
It was manifest that what had happened was a grievous crime but there had been some evidence of remorse. A determinate sentence would have accorded Goodwin "light at the end of the tunnel" and given him a period during which he could work towards becoming a useful member of society.
Opposing the appeal, Anthony Sammon SC for the DPP said there was nothing wrong in principle with the sentence imposed. However, replying to questions from Chief Justice Mr Justice John L. Murray - sitting with Mr Justice Philip O'Sullivan and Mr Justice Seán O'Leary - Mr Sammon said his instructions indicated a determinate sentence would be preferable to any review process.