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Oughterard man jailed for injuring pedestrian
A 42-year-old man, who drove off after seriously injuring a student at a pedestrian crossing, has been sentenced to five years in prison with the final two years suspended.
25 year old Stella Hoffman, a German Erasmus student was crossing at the pedestrian lights at Terryland on the Headford Road at 9pm on January 15th last year, when she was hit by a car driven by security guard, John Folan, from The Orchard, Oughterard.
Ms Hoffman’s pelvis was broken in two places.
She also suffered fractures to her skull, nose and right cheekbone in the impact.
Folan pleaded guilty to dangerous driving which caused serious injury to Ms Hoffman.
Defence barrister Geri Silke said her client worked as a security guard for many years in a factory and took a simple view of things.
She said he lived at home with his parents and had brought €10,000 to court for the victim as a token of his remorse.
She said he panicked and went into shock.
Judge Rory McCabe said that leaving the scene of an accident in a panic was a natural human reaction but the way in which the accused had acted afterwards was morally reprehensible.
He sentenced Folan to five years in prison but suspended the final two years on hearing he posed a low risk of reoffending.
He disqualified the accused from driving for five years and refused leave to appeal the sentence.