A disqualified driver who killed a pedestrian while evading gardaí and showing "a complete disregard for lives of others" has been jailed for six years.
Michael Mc Guirk, 23, had earlier been spotted by gardaí breaking a red light, and they turned to follow him.
In his high-speed attempts to evade gardaí, he crossed onto the wrong side of the road and struck Carol Seery, 67, who was crossing the road with her husband.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Mc Guirk's brake lights did not activate, he did not alter his course or take evasive action, and he continued at speed before abandoning the car nearby.
Mrs Seery, who is survived by her husband, three children and six grandchildren, was described in court as a "very much-loved woman" who was a caregiver at the heart of a loving family.
Her family submitted victim impact statements but did not wish for them to be read in open court.
Michael Mc Guirk of Cashel Avenue, Crumlin, Dublin 12, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, endangerment, dangerous driving and driving without insurance at Phibsborough Road and surrounding areas on on 4 October, 2023.
Mc Guirk has 66 previous convictions, including three for dangerous driving, seven for unlawful taking of cars, five for unlawful interference with cars and three for no insurance. He was disqualified from driving for four years at the time of this offence.
His other convictions include robbery, burglary, assault, criminal damage, possession of knives, failing to appear and trespass.
Passing sentence, Judge Elva Duffy said Mrs Seery and her husband had been having a pleasant evening when their family’s lives changed forever.
She said the victim impact statements she had read were very moving in outlining the loss of "this very much loved woman." She said Carol Seery should have been at the prime of her life and was at the heart of her loving family. She said nothing the court could do would alleviate their loss.
She said the caring and deeply loved person that Carol was shined through in her family’s words.
Judge Duffy said Mc Guirk’s motivation had been to evade gardaí as he was in a car he should not have been in. She noted his tragic family circumstances and early struggles in school. She took into account he had used his time in custody wisely in the past and had tried to move his life forward.
The judge said his attempts at rehabilitation were a "double-edged sword" in that he had been making attempts to move his life in a positive direction but also took actions which had led to offending in his past, such as buying a car while uninsured and driving to evade gardaí.
She noted he has to live with what he has done and had displayed genuine remorse, which was backed by a psychologist’s report. She said his early plea was valuable and noted his young age.
Judge Duffy said the aggravating factors included the nature of the driving, speed and that he had crossed to the wrong side of the road while approaching a rise, which was a particularly dangerous place to be on the wrong side of the road.
She also noted his previous convictions and failure to stop at the scene.
Judge Duffy set a headline sentence of eight-and-a-half years and imposed a sentence of six years taking the mitigating circumstances into account.
She imposed a 15-year driving disqualification.
