A MAN who once ploughed into a family in a hijacked taxi killing a seven-year-old boy, has been jailed for two years for stealing the life savings of a vulnerable elderly friend.
Judge Geoffrey Miller QC told 47-year-old Stephen Vincent Sweeney that there was "no prospect" of the pensioner seeing a penny of her £40,000 saving.
The Downpatrick Crown Court judge described the impact of the theft as both "considerable and life changing".
Sweeney of Fruithill Park in Belfast pleased guilty to theft.
In 1999 he was jailed for five years after he admitted being "paralytic drunk" and "driving like a maniac" when he smashed into the family of Paula Armstrong, killing her son Eamon, and injuring both her and her partner.
Judge Miller said Sweeney had an appalling record of 87 convictions, including burglary, fraud, robbery, theft and over 20 driving offences in addition to causing death by dangerous driving.
In written submission provided to the court prosecutor Laura Ievers revealed last February Sweeney duped the pensioner into leaving him alone in her flat to go with his girlfriend to look for a missing dog.
Alone, Sweeney found her £40,000 life savings hidden in a suitcase and took it. He later admitted taking the theft and promised to repay her.
Defence lawyer Conor Holmes, in his written submissions outlined Sweeney's continued problems with alcohol and solvent abuse which had impacted on his mental well being.
However, Judge Miller dismissed this and claims his theft was opportunistic given the fact he had persuaded his victim to leave him alone in her flat.