The family of a strangled horse dealer killed over 10 years ago have called on the Minister for Justice to set up an inquiry into the Garda investigation into his death.
Seamus Doherty’s family is also calling on gardai to offer a public apology for the way it investigated their father’s death.
Mr Doherty, 67, was found dead in the bathroom of his home at Drumacnoo in Donegal on June 17, 2012.
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Despite gardai reporting the death as suspicious, the scene was not established as a crime scene for two full days.
While gardai initially treated it as a sudden death, a post-mortem showed that the father-of-four had been strangled to death.
A murder investigation had been launched and a man was due to stand trial in connection with the death but this charge was withdrawn at the Central Criminal Court.
Last Friday, the inquest into the death of Mr Doherty concluded that he died from an unlawful killing, with the cause of death found to be strangulation.
The jury criticised how Gardai conducted the early stages of the investigation.
Now, Mr Doherty’s children have said the inquest has highlighted “serious systemic failures on the part of gardai” during the vital early stages of the investigation.
In a statement issued through Madden & Finucane Solicitors, Mr Doherty’s children said the family are calling on an Garda Síochána to give a full public apology, and will be calling on the Minister for Justice for a public inquiry.
The family are also actively considering legal options to ensure the jury’s recommendations are fully implemented.
“There has been no consequences and an individual has gotten away with murder in Donegal,” the statement concluded.
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