Family of Clare Schoolboy Killed in Road Accident Seeks Review of DPP’s Decision Not to Prosecute

 Dublin | June 12, 2025,  The family of a 10-year-old schoolboy who died following a road traffic collision in Shannon, Co Clare, last year has requested a formal review of the Director of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP) decision not to pursue criminal charges in connection with the incident.

Dylan Coady-Coleman, a fourth-class student at St Tola’s National School, was struck by a van near his home at Purcell Park on the afternoon of February 25, 2024. He was initially taken to University Hospital Limerick and later transferred to Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street in Dublin, where he succumbed to his injuries three days later. A post-mortem examination confirmed that Dylan died as a result of catastrophic head injuries sustained in the collision.

At a brief sitting of the Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Wednesday, Detective Inspector Ken Hoare applied for a three-month adjournment of the inquest proceedings, citing that gardaí are currently awaiting the outcome of the family-initiated review of the DPP’s decision. The court heard that the deceased’s parents, Garry Coleman and Laura Coady, had formally requested the review of the prosecutorial decision on the original Garda file.

A man in his 20s had previously been arrested as part of the investigation but was released without charge. The coroner, Aisling Gannon, granted the adjournment and scheduled the case for further mention on September 10, 2025, noting that it would not be appropriate to proceed with the inquest while the review is ongoing.

The hearing was attended remotely by Dylan’s parents and their solicitor, Caitriona Carmody. Coroner Gannon acknowledged the sensitive nature of the proceedings and affirmed the family's right to seek a reassessment of the prosecutorial decision.

The tragedy surrounding Dylan’s death was further compounded by a deeply emotional circumstance: his mother, Ms Coady, had given birth to another son just a day before Dylan passed away. The newborn, who was brought to Temple Street to be by his brother’s bedside, was later named Shane Dylan in honour of his late sibling. The couple also have a daughter, Zoe.

In a previous hearing last December, Mr. Coleman shared that he and his partner had made the decision to donate Dylan’s organs for transplant after medical staff confirmed there was no possibility of recovery—a gesture that brought a measure of solace amid profound grief.

The case continues to draw public attention and underscores the delicate balance between legal processes and the emotional weight borne by grieving families seeking closure.