Man gets two-year term over hit and run

A 23-YEAR-OLD Co Clare man has been jailed for two years after a hit and run that resulted in ‘‘appalling injuries’’ to two pedestrians.

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Carroll Moran sentenced Donal Holohan of Aylroe, Kildysart, after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to Tommy Walsh early on January 13th, 2008.

The court heard that four men were walking near Friar’s Walk close to Ennis town centre at around 3.10am on the date when Holohan’s car struck Mr Walsh’s friend, Sean Cuddihy, and threw him up in the air.

Judge Moran said that Holohan – a plumber – continued driving and crashed into a nearby roundabout where Mr Walsh went to him and told him to turn off the engine.

Judge Moran said that Holohan took off and the car struck Mr Walsh and he became entangled in the right-hand front wheel of the car and his body was dragged along for one mile.

Mr Walsh (21) suffered multiple injuries to his chest, shoulder, abdomen and a severe injury to his left hand.

Judge Moran said that Mr Walsh blacked out and lost consciousness while he was being dragged along.

The judge said that Mr Walsh had to spend six weeks in hospital and had to undergo two significant operations of reconstructive surgery.

Judge Moran said that Mr Walsh had lost more than a year in the Army and said that “the permanent injury to his left hand may lead to his discharge from the Army and it is difficult to see how he can have a meaningful future career in the Army”.

Judge Moran said that Holohan continued driving to Kildysart where he was apprehended by gardaí.

A drink-driving test recorded that Holohan was almost twice the legal limit and he admitted to gardaí to drinking eight cans of Bulmers and seven glasses of Vodka. Judge Moran said that Holohan had said that he panicked and left the scene. The court heard that he had no previous convictions.

The judge added that the two victims had suffered “appalling injuries”.

Judge Moran said that he took Holohan’s plea of guilty and good character into account and imposed a sentence of two years.

Judge Moran deferred the sentencing for one month to allow Holohan carry out work on the family farm.