A 45-year-old man has been jailed for four years and three months for knocking down and killing an 84- year-old woman in a hit-and-run in Dublin almost two years ago.
Philip Ormond, with an address at Deerpark Place, Kiltipper in Tallaght, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Kathleen Furlong on 8 September 2023.
He drove at speed and broke a red light at the junction of Fortunestown Way and Cheeverstown Road in Tallaght at around 11am that day.
He stopped briefly when he realised that he had hit someone, but left the scene when he saw other people going to help Ms Furlong.
Ormond also pleaded guilty to failing to remain at the scene.
The garda investigation showed that he was driving at 78km/h in the bus lane and had plenty of time to see the red light, which was red for eight seconds before he broke it, and amber for another three seconds.
Ms Furlong had crossed that road many times before and was remembered in court as a woman who led a productive and meaningful life and was beloved by her children and grandchildren.
In a victim impact statement, her family said they cannot escape "the unbearable emptiness" caused by her "violent and senseless" death.
They described her as "a strong resilient woman who lost her voice through cancer twice" but was patient and understanding and had "a heart of gold".
Ms Furlong, the family said, had been "cruelly mowed down" and "left to die with no regard or respect".
They said Ormond failed to show "basic human decency" and had "imposed the death penalty" on their mother and "a life sentence for us".
Judge Martin Nolan said that Ormond broke the light intentionally, was travelling at speed, and left the scene, causing great suffering.
The judge took into account his guilty pleas and expressions of remorse.
The judge said that although he has previous convictions, the most serious ones are "quite old" and he "probably won’t offend" like this again.
He sentenced Ormond to four years and three months in prison and sympathised with the Furlong family on their loss.
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