'My dad's last gift to me was to save my life': DPP directs no criminal charges in death of man who died saving daughter
No criminal charges will be brought in relation to the death of a man who lost his life saving his daughter.
Martin Finn (60) from Gurteen, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 died on January 17 2017.
Mr Finn was out feeding horses with his daughter when he was struck by a car on the Newcastle Road in Clondalkin.
Inspector Oliver Woods told Dublin Coroner’s Court that the Director of Public Prosecution’s decision was not to bring criminal charges in the case.
“The family and solicitor are aware of this decision,” Insp Woods told Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane.
The coroner said she was now ready to set a date for a full inquest hearing into Mr Finn’s death and this date would be set following the provision of additional statements to the court.
It is understood Mr Finn pushed his daughter Abbie out of harms way before he was struck by an oncoming car.
The pair had been out tending horses together and were making their way back to a parked car, driven by the man’s wife Carol Hall-Finn when the incident happened. Mrs Hall-Finn was sitting in a car parked nearby waiting for their return.
Garda Paul Burke of the Garda Traffic Division at Dublin Castle formally identified the man's remains before a postmortem performed by Dr Stephen Crowther at Tallaght Hospital. In his autopsy report, the pathologist gave the cause of death as head and neck injuries due to a road traffic accident.
Previous inquests into the man’s death heard that a forensic collision report was completed by Gardai and submitted with the garda investigation file sent to the DPP. Gardai then answered a number of queries from the DPP’s office before a decision not to prosecute was returned.
The man’s daughter Abbie was brought to his funeral by ambulance. She paid tribute to her father and ‘hero’ at his funeral mass.
"I'm only here because of them, and because of my dad, my hero, whose last gift to me was to save my life," she said at his funeral.
"My dad was my best friend. We had a special bond like no other. I would also like to thank my mother, who has always been my rock throughout my whole life."
Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane adjourned the inquest for a full hearing on a date to be decided.
