AN INQUEST into the death of murdered champion Limerick boxer Kevin Sheehy (20) has been scheduled to take place on June 5 this year.
The news comes as the mother of the slain fighter says she still doesn’t know which UK prison her son’s killer is being held in.
The five-time national boxing champion, from Kennedy Park in Limerick City, would have potentially represented Ireland at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games next July.
He was repeatedly run over by a jeep driven by UK criminal Logan Jackson in an unprovoked attack in the early hours of July 1, 2019, after attending a party to celebrate Limerick winning a 20th Munster hurling title.
“My son’s flesh was on the road after what he did,” said Tracey Tully, Mr Sheehy’s heartbroken mother.
Ms Tully fought a protracted legal battle against the Minister for Justice to prevent Mr Jackson from being allowed serve a life sentence for her son’s killing in his native England, however he was eventually transferred from Limerick Prison to HMP Wandsworth prison in London.
Now, Ms Tully says she is glad that “we finally have a date for Kevin’s inquest”, but added that UK prison authorities have refused to tell her what prison Jackson is currently being held in.
It’s understood that Mr Jackson was moved from HMP Wandsworth to another jail after his transfer from Limerick Prison last year.
“It is hell on earth, nobody will tell me where Logan Jackson is being held,” said Ms Tully.
“We should be making arrangements to travel to France this summer because Kevin was being tipped to represent Ireland in the Olympic Games, but all we are able to do now is visit his grave.”
Ms Tully said she fears Jackson will change his name and be free within a few years while her family are left serving a “life sentence of grief”.
“Kevin’s daughter, who was born after he was murdered, now hugs the headstone at her father’s grave, but the gravestone can’t hug her back,” Ms Tully said.
Mr Jackson is awaiting a “paper hearing” in England, whereby he will learn what is left of his sentence in the UK.
Presently he has served just over two years of a life sentence imposed in Ireland in December 2021.
Ms Tully said she has been told she cannot physically read out her victim impact statement at Mr Jackson’s upcoming UK hearing.
“I want to do that to remind him of the trauma he has caused to me and my family,” said Ms Tully.
Mr Jackson successfully applied for a transfer to a UK prison after serving only eight weeks of his life sentence in Ireland. Ms Tully was unsuccessful in an appeal to the High Court to block the transfer.
Kevin Sheehy had no links to crime and was regarded by his family, friends, and neighbours as a sporting hero and a positive role model for children in his local community.
The office of the Limerick Coroner’s Court confirmed that Mr Sheehy’s inquest hearing will take place at Kilmallock Courthouse on June 5.
