A 27-year-old full time professional criminal has been jailed for eight years after he ploughed into three pensioners, seriously injuring two of them in Parteen in September and burglary in May last year.
80-year-old Eric Ryan had to have his leg amputated below the knee after he was stuck by a car driven by Michael Sheehan of Cliona Park, Moyross on the 25th of September 2014.
Michael Sheehan was on bail for just three days when he lost control of his car and seriously injured the pensioners.
80-year-old Eric Ryan, along with his friends 78-year-old retired garda Liam Barry and retired postman Dermot O'Brien, who was also in his 70s but now deceased, were returning to Mr Barry's car after playing a round of pitch and putt in Parteen when the incident happened around 5.00pm on the 25th of September last.
As a result of the collision, Mr Ryan had to have his left leg amputated below the knee, while Mr Barry also suffered significant injuries including a brain hemorrhage. Mr O'Brien did not suffer any injuries.
In July, Detective Garda Ronan O'Reilly told the court the 27-year-old ploughed into three pensioners in his car and stepped over one of the injured men as he attempted to flee on foot.
Sheehan told gardaí he had drank eight bottles of cider and a naggin of vodka on the morning of the incident.
Michael Sheehan also pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary at Aherina, Kilmore and Doonass, Co Clare, as well as refusing to give a blood sample to gardaí on the same date.
In a deeply harrowing victim impact statement Eric Ryan described how his life and the lives of his wife and family have been changed profoundly by Michael Sheehan's reckless, out of control and selfish act. He said he has become a completely dependent person, who will never again be able to bring his grandchildren to feed the ducks on his own.
In sentencing Judge Tom O'Donnell described Sheehan as a full time professional criminal, who has 53 previous convictions.
He said the burglaries and subsequent dangerous driving were planned and premeditated, which led to catastrophic consequences.
He said he noted the profound regret expressed by the defendant and his efforts to get clean from drugs. He sentenced Sheehan to five years in prison
That sentence is to begin following a three years sentence, also imposed today on the 27-year-old for other burglary at Aherina, Co. Clare on the 8th of May last year.
