An uninsured driver who knocked down and killed a Kildare county councillor before fleeing the scene will be sentenced at a later date.
Damian Klasinski, 29, from The Oaks, Newbridge, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of 65-year-old Willie Crowley on 15 December 2015.
The court heard he had 13 previous convictions for driving-related offences such as no licence and no insurance. He had previously been sentenced to jail for these offences.
The court heard Mr Crowley had five pints in a local pub before the incident but was by no means intoxicated.
He was crossing the road at Eyre Street in Newbridge on a damp, dark night when he was struck by Klasinski's car on a narrow, poorly-lit side street. He died three days later.
Klasinski left the scene but the passengers in the car came forward and made statements to gardaí.
He was arrested the following day after he was found hiding in a wardrobe in a friend's house.
He later pleaded guilty. Defence lawyers said he was in a "total blind panic" when he fled the scene and was full of remorse.
After his arrest he told gardaí had been blinded by the headlights of a passing van and that Mr Crowley had stepped out from behind that van.
He swerved to avoid him but did not have time to brake.
Klasinski estimated he was travelling at 50km/h which is the speed limit on the street.
However, two of the four other people who were in the car that night told gardaí Klasinski was driving too fast.
They said it could have been as much as 60 to 80km/h. One said Mr Crowley had "no chance".
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Crowley's widow Clare Doyle Crowley said he was looking forward to contesting the general election in 2016.
She said on the night he died he had been out making plans for cooking Christmas dinner for those in need, which he did most years.
She said the brutal violence of her husband's death shocked her to the core and that shock had yet to leave her.
She referred to the futility of his death at the hands of someone so careless and devoid of human responsibility.
While her husband was lying in hospital dying, he was hiding in a cupboard instead of facing up to his actions.
She said the Polish ambassador had written to her husband, thanking him for helping local Polish families whose homes had been destroyed by fire.
She said "I lost my husband, my friend, my confidante."
His sister, Breda Crowley Arnold, said in her victim impact statement that she and her brother had been orphaned at a young age and he became her mentor, advisor and inspiration.
She said instead of succumbing to self pity, he had overcome so much in life and fought to overcome adversity.
She said he loved the town of Newbridge and everyone in it.
She added: "As Christians we are obliged to forgive, which we do. We do not seek vengeance but hope to see justice."
Defence lawyers apologised on Klasinski's behalf and said he realised the loss he had caused by his actions.
They submitted references on his behalf and said he was full of remorse as was evident from his early guilty plea.
They asked the judge to consider a partially-suspended sentence and not to impose a lengthy driving ban as it would affect his employment prospects into the future.
Judge Melanie Greally said she was very conscious that the matter was with the family since the appalling events of December 2015 but each case is different and has to be judged on its own facts.
She will pass sentence on Friday 12 May.
