A man who caused a fatal car crash on the day he was banned from driving for 10 years in his absence has been jailed for 2 years by Judge Elizabeth Dunne at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Joseph Gorry (46), Knockanally, Donadea, Naas, Co Kildare, failed to appear at Kilcock District Court on drink-driving charges on January 23rd, 2001, the day the truck he was driving caused the death of Mary Flanagan in Tallaght.
He was given a six-month jail sentence and disqualified from driving for 10 years that day but had already been banned from driving for six, 10 and five years at various district court hearings between June and November 2000.
Judge Dunne heard he had eight previous convictions for road traffic offences dating back to 1994, including drink-driving, driving with no insurance and driving without a driver's licence.
Gorry pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Ms Flanagan, driving with no insurance and driving without a licence on January 23rd, 2001. Judge Dunne also imposed a further disqualification of 15 years.
Garda Gabriel Plower told Mr Paul Carroll, prosecuting, that a collision occurred between a tipper truck driven by Gorry and two vehicles at the junction of the Belgard Road and the Cookstown Road in Tallaght.
Mr George Birmingham SC, for Gorry, said he had a serious drink problem but had worked all his life in the building trade to support his wife and four children. He was very remorseful about the fatal crash.
Judge Dunne agreed the case did not have such aggravating factors as drink and speed, but Gorry's background of traffic offences and ignorance of court orders required her to impose a custodial sentence.