A 19-year-old Cork City FC player has been given a two-year suspended sentence and a seven-year driving ban after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of a father-of-two.
Edward Power McCarthy of College Avenue, Moyross, Co Limerick, admitted he was speeding when he caused the death of 55-year-old Polish national, Andrzej Obalek, on 18 February last at Ballybeg West, Buttevant, Co Cork.
Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that Mr Obalek was in Limerick visiting friends when he died in the head-on collision.
His sister said in a victim impact statement that her late brother was a devout Jehovah Witness. "You have robbed me of my brother. The greatest punishment you will have is living with the knowledge of having killed someone," she said.
Sgt Tony Cronin told Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin that Power McCarthy was driving home to Limerick having attended soccer training at Cork Institute of Technology when the crash occurred. He had been attending training a few nights a week in Cork.
Power McCarthy was speeding when his car veered on to the incorrect side of the road. Mr Obalek's car was struck at the front.
It went in to a ditch and he died at the scene. Power McCarthy escaped serious injury as did the other two male occupants of his car. Sgt Cronin said the defendant was driving his car at "excessive speed" which was particularly hazardous given that the area was a well-known accident blackspot.
However, Power McCarthy was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. He also had no previous convictions.
The young footballer, who spent three years in the UK at a soccer academy, apologised in the witness box for his actions. He said he prayed for the deceased daily and was horrified at what had occurred on a routine journey from Cork.
Judge Ó Donnabháin said the massive aggravating factor in the case was that the defendant was driving at speed.
He said the young footballer should have been used to driving through the dangerous bends of Ballybeg and that the onus was on him to show due care.
Having heard that Power McCarthy was remorseful and working hard in an express courier service, he jailed him for two years, suspending the entirety of the sentence. He said the driving disqualification of seven years was warranted.
Judge Ó Donnabháin expressed frustration at suggestions from defence counsel that he read a reference from the FAI. He said that he was not interested in the soccer career of the defendant.
The judge said he hoped the words of the sister of the deceased were "burned in the brain" of Power McCarthy.
