Gardaí probing threatening letter to judge in Joe Drennan hit-and-run case

David Raleigh

A Garda investigation has begun after a “threatening” letter was sent to a judge in respect of a concurrent jail sentence imposed on a man who killed an innocent student in a hit-and-run.

The handwritten correspondence for Judge Colin Daly was intercepted by staff at the criminal court complex in Limerick city.

Sources said that while it is “not uncommon” for members of the judiciary to receive letters in respect of court cases, the nature of the letter in question raised enough alarm for gardaí to be contacted.

A response from the Garda Press Office read: “An Garda Síochána is aware of correspondence received at a premises in Limerick city in February 2025.”

The Garda Press Office added that garda “enquiries are ongoing”.

On January 30th, Judge Daly sentenced gangland criminal Kieran Fogarty to six-and-a-half years in prison after Fogarty admitted dangerous driving causing the death of pedestrian Joe Drennan; failing to offer Mr Drennan assistance; and fleeing the scene.

The judge initially told Fogarty’s sentencing hearing that the hit and run sentence would run consecutively (additionally) to an eight-year sentence he also imposed on Fogarty who admitted discharging an automatic firearm at adults and children who were standing outside a house, in what was entirely separate to the hit-and-run offence.

However, Judge Daly corrected himself in court, telling the hearing that Fogarty’s two sentences would actually run concurrently (simultaneously), meaning Fogarty would not serve any jail time for the fatal hit-and-run.

The sentencing sparked public outcry, and a vigil and a protest march took place in Limerick last week, calling on the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to appeal the terms of the sentence on grounds it was unduly lenient and that both sentences should run consecutively.

The Court Services did not respond when asked for comment about the letter.

When informed about the letter today, Marguerite Drennan, Joe Drennan’s mother, said she did not condone anyone sending a threatening letter to a judge.

“Oh no, I didn’t hear that, well that wasn’t us now. Oh god, no I wouldn’t condone that now, no way,” Ms Drennan said.

The Drennan family staged a demonstration outside the Dáil on Tuesday, calling for the DPP to appeal their son’s killer’s sentence.

Ms Drennan said they were also due to meet with the leader of Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonald, to support their campaign for justice for their son “#JusticeForJoe”.

The family started an online petition on February 6th, which has been signed by over 11,000 people, calling on the Government and the Minister for Justice “to amend the current sentencing laws to ensure that multiple sentences for serious crimes, particularly those involving loss of life, are served consecutively rather than concurrently”.

A spokeswoman for the DPP said last week it “does not comment on individual cases”.

The DPP spokeswoman added: “For information, I would point out that while the Office of the DPP has a Victims Liaison Unit who deal with telephone queries from victims of crime – or family members of victims of crime – the staff of that unit are not permitted to discuss individual cases on the phone with those persons for reasons of confidentiality.“

“They would instead provide general information similar to what is available on our website about various processes, e.g. www.dppireland.ie/criminal-justice-system/sentencing-and-appeals”.

Fogarty, (21), Hyde Avenue Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick, who was not known to Joe Drennan, was speeding and filming himself on a mobile phone, while behind the wheel of a BMW 5 Series, in the moments leading up to the fatal hit and run.

Fogarty was on bail, subject to several arrest warrants, and banned from driving at the time.

He broke a red light, collided with another car injuring the driver, and ploughed into a bus stop where Mr Drennan was innocently waiting for a bus on October 13th, 2023.

Mr Drennan, (21), from Mountrath, Co Laois, was a fourth-year journalism student at the University of Limerick, where he was editor in chief of the university’s news platform Limerick Voice.

Mr Drennan had finished a work shift at a restaurant and was waiting for his bus home when he was struck and killed by Fogarty.

At his sentencing hearing, last month, Fogarty received further concurrent sentences for engaging in violent disorder, possessing drugs for sale or supply.

Fogarty also pleaded guilty to threatening to kill a man in April 2023. The offence was taken into consideration by Judge Daly.