A motorist whose car went out of control and hit a concrete bench, killing a passenger, was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in prison at Galway Circuit Court yesterday.
Raymond Curran (26), with addresses at Southpark Terrace, Claddagh, and Castlepark, Galway, pleaded guilty to driving a car in a dangerous manner, causing the death of Mr Mark Kotob (19) at Grattan Road, Salthill, on March 5th, 1999.
Curran had been drinking and singing along with the radio moments before the crash.
The dead man's father became distressed in the court after sentence was passed and told the accused he would be waiting for him when he came out.
At a previous court hearing, Garda Sean McCole said Curran was a chef and had gone for a drink after work on the night of the accident.
He intended going home early but he met an acquaintance and had a couple of drinks with her.
He was driving her home when the deceased and another person, both of whom Curran knew to see, flagged him down and asked for a lift home.
Mr Mark Kotob was sitting in the front passenger seat and three others were in the back.
According to the other passengers, Curran began driving dangerously at high speed around Galway city while drinking a can of beer and singing along to the car radio.
The car reached very high speed at Grattan Road and Curran lost control.
It careered out of control for 134 yards after hitting the kerb before it struck a reinforced concrete bench on the footpath.
Dr Gregory Little, a GP, said he had referred Curran for alcohol treatment and he was now off drink and drugs.
Judge Carroll Moran expressed his condolences to Mr Kotob's family.
The Judge said the case merited a five-year sentence but, in mitigation, the accused was genuinely remorseful, had pleaded guilty and was abstaining from alcohol.
He imposed a sentence of 2-1/2 years and disqualified Curran from driving for 12 years.