News

Driver sentenced in "saddest case" judge has seen

Katriona Kearney. Picture by Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press
Katriona Kearney. Picture by Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Katriona Kearney. Picture by Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

A woman who admitted causing the death of a motorcyclist by careless driving was sentenced to community service yesterday after a judge described the case as "the saddest I have ever come across".

Outside court, the family of Eamon Farrelly (42) issued an impassioned plea for drivers to be aware of their surroundings, and especially to watch out for motorcyclists.

Antrim Crown Court had heard that on the afternoon of July 8 2013, the Belfast man had been on his way to meet his wife and family before embarking on a few days away together while Katriona Kearney (27), of Westbourne Crescent in Coleraine, was going home with her partner and two children after a day out at Belfast Zoo.

Mr Farrelly died from chest injuries after a collision involving his Yamaha motorbike, Kearney's Vauxhall Zafira car and a Scania lorry at the Dunsilly off-slip on the northbound lane of the M2 motorway.

A prosecution barrister said the Zafira was doing between 5-10mph and the bike was travelling very slowly or had stopped.

Both were on the inside lane of the offslip and Kearney was said to have moved off when she saw Mr Farrelly's brake light go out and checked to her right and saw that the road was clear.

The lorry had been in the middle lane and come onto the roundabout when Kearney's car made impact with the rear of the motorbike.

The driver then reported feeling an impact at the side of his vehicle.

The prosecution accepted that the culpability of the defendant "would have to be described as very low" and that there were no aggravating features like mobile phone use, drink or speeding.

Kearney shook and wept throughout the hearing, often sitting with her head in her hands or with her hands covering her ears as details were read out.

Saying that the accident "happened in one twinkling of an eye", her defence barrister added that in his 40 years at the bar in Northern Ireland, he had never come across or acted for a client "so consumed by guilt and grief".

However, he said her distress "was nothing compared to that of Mr Farrelly's family".

Judge Desmond Marrinan described it as "the saddest case I have ever come across".

Acknowledging that Mr Farrelly's wife, who has been left with post traumatic stress, and his 11-year-old daughter had "suffered terribly", the judge commented: "All of us are fallible.

"Not one person in this court could put their hand on their heart and say they had never made a mistake on the road, had never strayed out of a lane or got a beep from behind. Miss Kearney looked to the right and made the literally fatal mistake of nudging forwards, closer to the roundabout."

Judge Marrinan said it would be "cruel" to impose anything other than a community order for "an unfortunate young woman who will have to live with this for the rest of her life."

He sentenced Kearney to 60 hours of community service for 12 months and banned her from driving for a year.

Outside the court, Mrs Farrelly and other relatives issued a statement.

Saying that Eamon Farrelly "loved motorcyles", they urged drivers to be more aware of their surroundings, particularly during the long summer evenings.

"This devastating accident took place in a matter of seconds," they said.

"We just want people to be aware and look twice, especially when there are more bikes on the road. This was a low impact accident."