The family of a road crash victim say they feel 'really let down' by the courts after the driver of the vehicle was handed 240 hours community service.
20-year-old Cormac Murphy died in May 2017.
Yesterday, his friend Pete Rogers (21) from Ballinaclieve, Moynalty, Kells - who was the driver of the car - was spared jail after pleading guilty to careless driving causing death.
The judge said Rogers was of good character, had cooperated fully with the investigation, and shown a deep sense of remorse.
Cormac’s mother Bernie Murphy spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning about yesterday's sentencing.
She said: "We were really let down... it was a dreadful day.
"I know it's hard for the family of Steve Rogers and everything, but it was all about him and them... we never came into it. We had to just sit there and listen to it... it felt like Cormac never existed in the world.
"We definitely were not represented - we should have been allowed talk for ourselves. We feel we would have done a better job than the barristers and everyone else."
She said the family has had a 'dreadful road' over the past three-and-a-half years, frequently going to court only for the case to be adjourned.
Cormac's family were happy to go along with the legal teams, feeling they would 'get justice'.
However, Bernie said: "Then... nothing - 240 hours community service. We were sitting there in the chair and our hearts just sank.
"I wanted to get up and leave. I was going to stand up to the judge 'are you for real?'. But you're not allowed say anything."
For the Murphy family, they're now still coming to terms with the loss of Cormac.
His mother said: "We're the ones that lost everything... we lost Cormac... we lost confidence in ourselves.
"We go to Cormac grave's every night to say good night. That's our routine. That's what we're left with."
