**IMPORTANT: PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT AFTER YOU SIGN OTHERWISE YOUR SIGNATURE WON'T GO THROUGH

On 30 July 2023, my life changed forever. My brother, Martin Lynn, was brutally attacked outside our happy family home. He had just stepped out of a taxi and was heading towards his front door, with his hands innocently tucked in his pockets. In a senseless act of violence, Christopher O'Neill, a man with 23 previous convictions, punched Martin in the head without warning or provocation.

The blow was so severe that it left my brother with catastrophic brain injuries. Despite the best efforts of the medical team at Beaumont Hospital, Martin passed away two days later.

O'Neill fled the scene after the attack and was eventually arrested and charged almost 1.5 years later in December 2024, following tireless efforts from the investigating team in the Gardaí. A further year later (around 2.5 years after he killed Martin) he pleaded guilty on 19 December 2025. This was effectively the day before his manslaughter trial was due to start after the Christmas break.

On 15 January 2026, he was sentenced to just six years in prison, with an additional 2.5 years suspended. With standard remission, he could serve as little as 4.5 years... This sentence is an insult to Martin's memory, to Martin's family and a disservice to justice.

We are currently preparing a formal request for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to appeal this unduly lenient sentence. The DPP can appeal within 28 days of sentencing so the clock is ticking and we need your support so that our voices can be heard. 

Why we believe this sentence is inadequate:

• Christopher O'Neill previously received a largely suspended sentence in 2012 for endangerment and dangerous driving where someone could have been killed. Despite this second chance, he then went on to kill one of his neighbours, my innocent brother Martin Lynn. 
• He currently has 23 previous convictions, demonstrating a clear pattern of offending.
• He pleaded guilty at the last possible moment, forcing our family through years of painful waiting and full trial preparation and trauma.
• Immediately after sentencing, he winked and smiled at someone in the courtroom. He has shown zero remorse towards our family - no apology, no explanation, nothing.
• The judge admitted at sentencing that he could not understand the reason for the attack. This was completely unprovoked violence that took an innocent life.

A sentence this lenient sends a dangerous message: you can kill an innocent member of the public in an unprovoked attack, have a history of violent offending, show no genuine remorse, plead guilty at the last possible moment and still face minimal consequences.

We ask for your support in our plea for #justiceformartinlynn. By signing this petition, you can help us urge the DPP to appeal, ensuring that we honour Martin’s memory by insisting on a sentence that truly reflects the seriousness of the crime. Your signature can make a difference and help strengthen sentences relating to violent attacks resulting in death.

Please, sign and share this petition widely. We thank you in advance for your continued support.

#justiceformartinlynn (please tag us in any social media posts)