A young car thief who killed a mother of three just yards from her house as she walked home from celebrating her husband's birthday was yesterday jailed for 10 years by Judge A.G. Murphy at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
James Carey (19), Top of the Bleech, Riverstown, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Ms June Atkins (42) near her home at Pearse Road in Ballypheane in Cork at around 2.30 a.m. on December 13th last. Investigating officer Det Sgt Tim O'Sullivan said Ms Atkins was crossing the road outside her house with her husband John when she was killed.
"They were holding hands and the car literally took her from his side," said Det Sgt O'Sullivan, adding that they were crossing at traffic lights and the lights were red for traffic when Mr Atkins saw the car coming at speed.
Ms Atkins was killed instantly by the stolen Mitsubishi sports car which earlier had been seen doing 80 m.p.h. in Cork city centre. It left two brakemarks at the scene - both over 20 ft long, he said.
The sports car smashed into another car and three occupants fled the scene on foot just before gardai arrived. Carey hid in a nearby garden while another occupant of the car was later arrested near the Lough area.
Carey - who admitted being the driver - later returned to the scene and inquired how the person he hit was. He was told she was dead and the following day he fled to England but returned two days later and gave himself up.
Det Sgt O'Sullivan said Carey stole the car earlier that evening in Cork and sped around Cork's northside. He and two others hid the car and bought some ecstasy tablets before again driving at speed in the city centre, at 80 m.p.h.
They raced down Patrick Street before mounting a footpath at South Gate Bridge. Pedestrians had to dive for cover from the car which was being followed by a Garda car.
Carey had four previous convictions for car theft and was considered a ringleader among young car thieves on Cork's northside. But he co-operated fully with the gardai and was very remorseful for killing Ms Atkins, said Det Sgt O'Sullivan.
He said the killing had a traumatic effect on the Atkins family. Their three children, Jill (17), David (14) and particularly Geoffrey (8), were devastated by their mother's death.
Ms Atkins's husband John - who opted not to exercise his right to address the court during the 30-minute hearing - had been extremely dignified following the tragedy and subsequent investigation, said Det Sgt O'Sullivan.
The court heard that Carey had a troubled background. His parents separated when he was very young and his mother suffered from psychiatric problems.
He was reared by his grandparents and his grandmother, Ms Ellen O'Driscoll, told the court that he had a low IQ and left school after primary level.
Judge Murphy said it was a tragic situation that the Atkins family found themselves in. "It doesn't take a very big brain to know that if you drive a car dangerously, it is probable you will kill or maim someone," he said.
"He has ruined their lives," he declared, adding that Carey's driving that night showed no regard for the public, gardai, his passengers or himself and society could not forgive him for his actions.
The only aspect of the case in his favour was his remorse and his giving himself up to the gardai, he said as he jailed him for 10 years, adding that because of his co-operation, the sentence should be reviewed in five years' time.