FAMILY TELL OF DAD'S ABUSE BY KILLER PARTNER 'THIS TIME IT WAS ONE PUSH TOO MANY'

THE heartbroken family of the late James Ryan has slammed the jail sentence of two years and nine months that was handed down to his partner - saying "It's not the justice he deserved.

- BY NICOLA DONNELLY

Dublin Circuit Court heard last week that Olesja Hertova, 49, of Hastings Lawn, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to one count of the unlawful killing of Mr Ryan on August 11, 2024 at their home address. She has no previous convictions.

The mother-of-two forcefully pushed him to the ground, causing him severe head injuries.

The 69-year-old was rushed to Beaumont Hospital but died the following day.

James met Hertova in 2008, many years after he and his wife divorced.

In passing sentence last Friday, Judge Martin Nolan said that on the night in question Hertova "lost her temper with Mr Ryan and pushed him forcefully".

"I have no doubt she did not intend to kill him," added Judge Nolan.

However, now Mr Ryan's family have spoken out saying that changes in the law are needed as, despite having no convictions, they say Hertova was abusing Mr Ryan on a regular basis - with proof of logged calls, calls to gardai and Tusla.

"This time it was one push too many. The full scope of the prolonged abuse and our father's documented history of physical abuse against him by his killer was systematically left out of the case," James's daughters Karen and Lynn told this paper.

"Our dad reported incidents of abuse to the authorities but he struggled to follow through with the formal court proceedings. Gardai were called numerous times to the house since 2010 because of the domestic violence she inflicted on James.