A woman whose husband and daughter were killed in a house fire in Tralee over 12 years ago, says she’s angry that the man responsible was not in court in person for his sentencing.
37-year-old Philip Griffin, of no fixed abode but originally from Tralee, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Anthony and Nadine O'Brien at Killeen Heights over 12 years ago.
Anthony O’Brien was aged 30 when he died and his daughter Nadine was just five-years-old.
The court heard that Philip Griffin handed himself into Gardaí 10 years after the fire, because he "couldn't live with the guilt of what happened."
Philip Griffin only faced the O’Brien family in court during his initial court appearance in Cahersiveen District Court; he appeared via video link in the High Court.
Anthony’s wife and Nadine’s mother, Kelly O’Brien says he took the coward’s way out:
Kelly O’Brien says she’s thankful for the support her family and her children have given her, adding it was hard to see Mr Griffin, who lived nearby her, over the past 12 years.
Philip Griffin was jailed for six-and-a-half years, after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Anthony and Nadine O'Brien.
Kelly O’Brien says his sentence was too lenient:
Kelly O'Brien's locket of her late husband Anthony and daughter Nadine who were killed in a fire in Tralee in May 2012
