A jailed son of a murdered Limerick criminal walked free yesterday after a High Court judge ruled he was entitled to one-third remission of his sentence and his continued detention was unlawful.
Edward Ryan jnr (31), who was jailed in 2010 for six years, was freed after Mr Justice Max Barrett found his continued detention at the Midlands Prison was “not in accordance with the law”.
Ryan, of College Avenue, Moyross, and his brother Kieran both pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court to having a pistol and 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition which were seized when gardaí stopped and searched a car during a surveillance operation.
Both are the sons of gangland figure Eddie Ryan snr who was shot dead in Limerick in 2000 aged 41. The brothers made national headlines in 2003 when they were allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint but turned up safe a week later following a national manhunt involving the Garda and Army.
Prison rules
In High Court proceedings against the State, Eddie Ryan, represented by Colman FitzGerald and Karl Monahan, claimed rule 59 of the 2007 prison rules meant their client was entitled to be released with a third of his sentence left to serve.
Ryan argued he qualified for one-third remission because he has been of good behaviour and has availed of all structured activities and courses available to him in the prison.
Had one-third remission been applied, he would have been released in May. The court heard he worked full time in the prison’s woodwork shop and made items for a charity shop.