The wife of a man who was killed in a hit and run in Co Louth has told a court that her life "has been torn in half" and she is "so lost" since her husband's death more than two years ago.
Michael Ball, a former garda, is to be sentenced next month over the death of 42-year-old Niall McEneaney on Rathmullen Road in Drogheda in the early hours of 17 March 2024.
Ball pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and failing to offer assistance following a collision.
The 28-year-old was stationed at Drogheda Garda Station at the time.
Ball's sentencing hearing, at Dundalk Circuit Court, heard that he had resigned from the force.
Mr McEneaney's wife, parents, brothers, other family members and friends were present for the hearing.
He was well known in the GAA community and managed St Fechin's club in 2022 and 2023.
Mr McEneaney had been walking home from a night out socialising with friends from the football team.
In her victim impact evidence to the court, his wife, Grace Martin, said that they met nearly 21 years ago and fell in love.
"I found my eternal best friend," she said.
Ms Martin said that her life "has been torn in half" and that Ball had stolen a huge part of her.
She said that before her husband was taken from her, life was stable and safe, and now it was "absolute destruction".
Ms Martin described how she was forced to close her business because she was not coping and behaving recklessly at times.
She said that she was "gone to a shell" and can go days without seeing anyone.
"I'm so lost," she admitted.
After two years, Ms Martin said, the "enormous void" was still there and she could not describe the heartbreak.
She said that she was "angry" and "heartbroken".
Ms Martin said that Ball was a trained member of An Garda Síochána with a duty of care to uphold.
He was trained to be a protector and a hero, with first responder training, she said, and he did not help Mr McEneaney.
"This man is no hero. This man is a coward," she said.
If she was to ask Ball a question, Ms Martin said, it would be "what made you decide to train as a garda?"
A victim impact statement from the McEneaney family will be given to the court at a later date.
Investigating Officer Alma Gavin for Fiosrú, the Office of the Police Ombudsman, gave evidence about the case.
It had been referred to Fiosrú by gardaí.
The court heard that gardaí received a call at approximately 2.30am on 17 March 2024 from a taxi driver who saw a man lying face down on the grass verge of Rathmuillen Road.
They attended the scene and found the man unresponsive. Gardaí called for an ambulance, but when they lowered the zip from his hood, it was clear that he had suffered catastrophic injuries and had died.
Mr McEneaney's cause of death was multiple injuries consistent with a motor vehicle collision in which he was a pedestrian.
On examining the scene, gardaí found pieces of bumper lights and a partial registration plate.
A near complete registration plate was found further down the road, registered to Ball.
The court heard that he was staying with garda colleagues in Donore at the time.
When gardaí arrived at the house, the Skoda car was parked in the furthermost part of the farmyard, with the damaged part up against a gate. The window had been shattered.
Ms Gavin said that gardaí described Ball as being asleep in a chair in the house, in a "comatose sleep", and they had to shake him to wake him up.
He was found to be "clearly intoxicated".
Ball confirmed to them he had been working until 7pm and then went drinking with colleagues.
He said that he did not drive after 7pm.
Ball confirmed that he was the owner of the car and but said he could not remember getting home.
When gardaí informed him that the man was deceased, the court heard, he became upset.
The two other gardaí who lived in the house said they had been drinking in Ball's company, but had left before him.
CCTV footage showed that he was socialising earlier that evening with colleagues and friends in a number of establishments, drinking beer, at one point from a shot glass.
The court heard that he returned to Drogheda Garda Station at 1.56am to get his car, before driving home.
The collision happened around two minutes later.
Ms Gavin confirmed that the speed limit on the road was 50km/h and an analysis found that Ball had been driving between 107km/h and 110km/h before the collision.
The rear brake lights were activated 0.24 seconds before the impact, and the braking caused him to slow to 86km/h-109km/h for the impact.
CCTV footage showed Mr McEneaney being thrown into the air.
He was found 34m from the pedestrian crossing where the collision occurred.
Ball was interviewed by Fiosrú on 5 April 2024, in which he accepted that he was the owner of the car.
The following month, he submitted a pre-prepared statement through his solicitor.
He said that he went out after working until 9pm, decided to go home early, at around 1.30am, and got his car from Drogheda Garda Station.
In the statement, Ball said that a male suddenly ran in front of the vehicle and collided with the passenger side.
He said that he was filled with unbearable remorse.
Ball said that he did not stop because of "sheer panic" and had "no answer" as to why he did not provide assistance to Mr McEneaney.
Ball expressed 'genuine remorse' - defence
Ball's lawyer, Senior Counsel Rod O'Hanlon, said that a letter of apology was presented to gardaí to pass on to the family.
He said that his client has expressed "genuine remorse" and entered an early guilty plea in the case.
The defence barrister said that Ball's personal situation has been deeply impacted by what happened.
He has resigned from An Garda Síochána, having served for a number of years, Mr O'Hanlon said, adding that it was a "stressful occupation".
The garda, who is originally from Donegal, found the stress of dealing with feuds in Drogheda difficult to deal with, he said.
A number of character references were handed to the court from Ball's wife, mother and aunt.
Judge Dara Hayes said that the case was a serious matter.
It demonstrated the dangers of driving while intoxicated and at considerable speed, he told the court.
Judge Hayes said the speed was clearly grossly excessive and a custodial sentence was inevitable.
He remanded Ball in custody for sentencing to be finalised on 15 June.
