THE MINISTER FOR Justice, Simon Harris, was personally torn by his decision to grant a controversial application by convicted killer Logan Jackson, moving him from Limerick Prison to a UK jail to be near his family, a source close to the minister said.
The decision was made despite the victim’s mother, Tracey Tully, previously pleading with Minister Helen McEntee to keep Jackson in an Irish jail for the remainder of his sentence.
Ms Tully, whose innocent son, and champion Irish boxer, Kevin Sheehy, (20), was targeted by Jackson in an unprovoked killing, said she was “sick to (her) stomach” at hearing the news and she said she had not been aware the transfer was being decided upon.
Sheehy, a five-times national boxing champion, who was earmarked as a future Olympian, died after he was repeatedly run over by Logan Jackson who was driving a 4×4 vehicle, at Hyde Road, Limerick, on 1 July, 2019.
Jackson was initially granted the transfer to England to be near his family just weeks into his life sentence in late 2021, after he applied under European Convention on Human Rights legislation, however before he could be transferred, Sheehy’s mother secured a judicial review of Minister McEntee’s decision.
The proceedings were resolved last November after the Minister agreed to review the decision.
Speaking last night, Ms Tully said she had not been notified that Minister Simon Harris was deciding the matter on Thursday and she had understood it might be dealt with in a number of years.
“I was not notified. This is like the day my son was murdered, all over again, I’m heartbroken” Ms Tully said.
A spokesman for Minister Harris said he had “expressed his sincere condolences to the family of Kevin Sheehy on their loss in such appalling circumstances, and wishes to do so again”.
“The Minister has with great difficulty acceded to the request of Mr Jackson to serve the remainder of his term in a UK prison. Minister Harris is acutely aware that news of this development will be difficult for the family of Kevin Sheehy.
“In arriving at this decision, and with the feelings of the family of at the forefront of his mind, Minister Harris sought to explore all possible options.
“However, the Minister is obliged to act in a manner consistent with the obligations under international law, specifically the Council of Europe Convention on the transfer of prisoners and the European Convention on Human Rights.
“Having considered those obligations, the clear advice of the Attorney General, and the particular circumstances of the case, it was necessary to accede to Mr Jackson’s application for transfer.
“In doing so, the Minister is satisfied that Mr Jackson can expect to spend many more years in prison, as is just given the horrific nature of the crime he committed and the pain he has caused.”
Ms Tully said she was “shocked and traumatised” by the decision.
“I can’t believe it, this is a nightmare, I feel sick, and I’m disgusted at the way the criminal justice system has treated me and my family,” Ms Tully said.
She said she would “continue to investigate” all legal avenues in trying to prevent Jackson’s prison transfer: “I need answers, the real answers. As Kevin’s mother, I’ve every right, every right to these answers.”
Limerick Fianna Fáil TD, Willie O’Dea, said: “It’s an absolutely disgraceful and despicable decision by the government.
“First of all they wanted to transfer (Jackson) immediately without any consultation with the family, they were forced by the courts to get the family’s views on the matter, and having done so they have decided to transfer him anyway.”
Deputy O’Dea said that, in his view, the department of justice “have treated the whole thing as a box-ticking exercise”.
O’Dea claimed he had reliable information that it was “for reasons of convenience” that Jackson was being transferred to the UK.
Other reliable sources said Jackson has been living under a death threat and is being held in solitary confinement in Limerick Prison away from the rest of the general prison population.
O’Dea said he would be raising the prisoner transfer in the Dáil: “In my view it’s totally unjustifiable, it’s wrong, and cruel and it’s piling injustice on top of injustice.
“This is how we treat an Irish champion boxer? The minister for justice and the government should be ashamed of themselves,” added Deputy O’Dea.
Two other men are wanted by gardaí in connection with the murder.
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