5.  The applicant was born in 1949 and lives in Kryvyy Rig. 6.  On 1 October 2002 the applicant’s son was hit by the vehicle of Mr B., who fled from the scene of the accident. 7.  On 2 October 2002 the police examined the scene of the accident, traced and located Mr B., examined his vehicle and conducted a medical examination of Mr B. 8.  On 9 October 2002 the applicant’s son died in hospital as a result of his injuries sustained in the accident. 9.  On 11 October 2002 the Zhovtnevy District Police Department instituted criminal proceedings against Mr B. for causing a traffic accident resulting in the death of the applicant’s son and for leaving him in danger after the accident. Mr B. was questioned the same day. 10.  On 15 October 2002 the applicant was recognised as a civil claimant within the criminal proceedings. 11.  Between October 2002 and January 2003 the investigation team conducted technical, medical forensic expert examinations, questioned the suspect, the applicant and several witnesses and conducted a number of other investigative actions. 12.  On 20 January 2003 the criminal proceedings were terminated for lack of corpus delicti in the actions of Mr B. 13.  On 17 February 2003 the Zhovtnevy District Prosecutor’s Office quashed the decision of 20 January 2003 and remitted the case for further investigation. The investigator in the case was replaced. 14.  On 5 April 2003 the investigator ordered a repeated technical expert examination. The examination was completed on 6 June 2003. 15.  On 23 October 2003 the Main Investigative Department of the Ministry of the Interior noted the ineffectiveness of the investigation in the case and ordered the investigator to take appropriate investigative actions. 16.  Between November 2003 and April 2004 the investigator questioned a number of witnesses. 17.  On 27 April 2004 the investigator conducted a repeated on-site reconstruction of the events. Another on-site reconstruction was scheduled for 9 June 2004 and postponed on several occasions. It was finally conducted on 28 July 2004. 18.  On 30 July 2004 the investigator, upon the applicant’s request, ordered additional medical, technical and trace evidence examinations. They were completed on 22 February 2005. 19.  On 6 May 2005 the case was given to another investigator, who ordered additional medical, technical and trace evidence examinations on the same day. 20.  On 20 June 2006 the technical examination was completed. 21.  On 6 July 2006 the investigator in the case was replaced. 22.  On 18 July 2006 the investigator ordered an additional medical examination. It was completed on 19 August 2006. 23.  Between October 2006 and April 2007 the investigation team questioned several witnesses and conducted a number of confrontations. 24.  On 12 December 2007 the case was transferred to the Kryvyy Rig City Police Department for further investigation. 25.  On 1 February 2008 a new investigator in the case was appointed. 26.  On 20 February 2008 the investigator in the case was replaced. 27.  On 3 June 2008 the investigator ordered additional medical, technical and trace evidence examinations. They were completed on 31 June 2008. 28.  On 10 September 2008 Mr B. was charged with a breach of traffic rules causing the death of the applicant’s son. At the same time, the charge of leaving a person in danger after the accident was dropped. 29.  On 9 October 2008 the criminal investigation was completed and the case was transferred to the Zhovtnevy District Court of Kryvyy Rig (hereinafter – “the District Court”) for examination. 30.  On 18 November 2008 the District Court held a preparatory hearing. 31.  On 21 January 2009 the applicant lodged a civil claim, which he later reformulated on several occasions. 32.  On 9 December 2009 the District Court found Mr B. guilty of a breach of traffic rules causing death and sentenced him to four years’ imprisonment. It also awarded the applicant 80,000 Ukrainian hryvnias (UAH), the equivalent of 7,175 euros (EUR), in compensation for non‑pecuniary damage and UAH 29,798, the equivalent of EUR 2,672, in compensation for pecuniary damage. 33.  On 18 and 24 December 2009 respectively the defendant and the prosecutor appealed against the judgment. The former claimed his innocence; the latter considered the sentence too lenient. 34.  On 25 December 2009 the applicant submitted his objections to the defendant’s appeal, considering that the judgment of 9 December 2009 had been well-founded and lawful. 35.  On 3 February 2010 the Dnipropetrovsk Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the first-instance court. This decision was not appealed against and it became final. 36.  On 18 February 2010 Mr B. was arrested by the police and sent to prison to serve his sentence.