A woman, whose sister died in a road crash, has been praised by a judge for her "Christian attitude" after she said she didn't believe the man who was driving the car should go to jail.
Judge Carroll Moran made his comments at Limerick Circuit Court where Brian Greene (28), of Carrovorrin Avenue, Ennis, Co Clare, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of his girlfriend, Ms Deborah Hayes, of Hartigan Villas, Moyross, on July 28th, 2002.
Judge Moran said yesterday that the accused was driving a "banger" which he said was "grossly and mechanically defective".
The car had failed an NCT test four months before the accident due to brake problems and it was due to be retested.
The court heard yesterday that during an overtaking manoeuvre the accused man's car in which Ms Hayes was a passenger, was in collision with a bus on the Dublin Road, Limerick.
At an earlier sitting, Ms Martina Hayes told the court her late sister had been going out with the accused for three months when the crash happened.
He didn't do it deliberately and sending him to jail would not bring her sister back, the court heard.
Sentencing was adjourned to May 4th pending the completion of probation reports.