THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC Prosecutions (DPP) has directed no action be taken against a garda detective who shot dead Mark Hennessy, the man who murdered student Jastine Valdez in May last year.

Hennessy (40) was shot by the garda at Cherrywood Business Park, Co Dublin, on 20 May.

The previous day Hennessy had bundled the 24-year-old accountancy student into his car on a stretch of road in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow.

He strangled her to death and dumped her body in undergrowth near Puck’s Castle Lane in Rathmichael.

Following reports of Jastine’s abduction, gardaí launched a manhunt that led them to the business park in Cherrywood, where Hennessy’s car had been spotted. Officers reported he appeared to be making stabbing motions in his car. 

A detective at the scene fired one shot into the car and Hennessy was killed. A post mortem established that he had been shot in the shoulder and that the bullet entered his torso, causing fatal injuries.

He was in the driver’s seat at the time of the shooting. Hennessy also had wounds consistent with self-harming and a Stanley knife was recovered from the car. 

In a statement issued in the days after Hennessy was shot dead, The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) confirmed it was undertaking an investigation under Section 98 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which is for incidents that appear to involve offences.

Today Gsoc confirmed that following its investigation, the DPP has directed no prosecution in the case.

The case is listed in the Dublin Coroner’s Court for mention tomorrow and it is expected a date will be set for the continuation of the inquest into Jastine’s death, which was put on hold for the Gsoc probe.