This article is from page 13 of the 2008-02-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
A YOUNG man was knocked down and killed by a car driven by his girl- friend, in Kilkee, a court has heard.
Ennis Circuit Court was told that Stephen O’Reilly (24), from Tallaght in Dublin, was on a week-long holi- day with his girlfriend and two oth- ers, in January 2007.
He and a friend were standing on a footpath on O’Connell Street, Kilkee, when his girlfriend Denise O’ Reilly – who was driving his Honda Civic car – approached the two.
Mr O’Reilly stepped onto the road and she struck him and knocked him oleae
Ms O’Reilly (20), of White Brooke Park, Tallaght, Dublin, pleaded guilty
to careless driving and drink driving, arising out of the accident, in the ear- ly hours of January 30, 2007.
Ms O’Reilly, a clerical administra- tor, entered the plea, just before she had been due to go on trial for dan- gerous driving causing the death of her boyfriend.
She was banned from driving for two years and fined €2,000, after the court was told that the parents of the deceased accepted it was a tragic ac- cident.
Garda John Convey said the de- fendant and another girl had gone for a drive in Stephen O’Reilly’s car, having been socialising earlier in the night.
As they returned to where they had been staying, Mr O’Reilly and his
friend were standing on the foot- ortaee
“Mr O’Reilly stepped out on to the road and was killed,” said the garda.
He said the accident occurred on a straight stretch of road and driving conditions were good at the time.
He said that the accused told gardai there was little she could have done to avoid the pedestrian. She was “very traumatised” by the incident and admitted driving the car when the accident occurred.
The couple had been together for several years and knew each other’s ie Teeb eR lony
Ms O’Reilly’s Counsel told the court that the parents of the deceased man accepted it was an accident and are supportive of the defendant.
The court was told that analysis of a sample of urine produced by the defendant showed a concentration of 116 mgms of alcohol per 100 mls of Vem alee
Judge Rory McCabe said the inci- dent was tragic. “I’m afraid we read about it every weekend, this type of event happening, a combination of youth, alcohol and possibly inexperi- ence,’ he said.
“A young man lost his life. No-one intended it to happen but it did,” he Sr AKOE
However he said he did not believe it would be appropriate to send the accused to prison.
He imposed fines totalling €2,000 and disqualified her from driving for two years.