A 38-year-old man who pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of an 84-year-old woman near Kilkelly has been given a suspended ten months prison sentence and banned from driving for one year.
Following a road collision at Cloonturk, Kilkelly, on September 24, 2022, Kathleen Forkan from Treenkeel, Kiltimagh, was admitted to Mayo University Hospital, Castlebar, where died the following month from her injuries.
At Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Eoin Garavan was told that Mohammad Alqarra, a native of Gaza, with an address at Windsor Lodge, North Roads, Drogheda, was the driver of a car which rear ended another car on the N17 outside Kilkelly at the the turnoff for Kiltimagh.
Mrs. Forkan, a mother of four and a grandmother of twelve, was a front seat passenger in a car driven by her daughter Dympna Murphy.
At Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court last October Mr. Alqarra pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death.
At his sentencing hearing yesterday, Dympna Murphy, daughter of the deceased, provided a victim impact statement which was read to the court by prosecuting barrister Patrick Reynolds.
In her statement Mrs. Murphy said the sudden death of her mother had left an irreplaceable void in the lives of her family.
Mrs. Murphy explained that in the immediate aftermath of the impact her mother was concerned not only for her, but for the family in the other car.
“Our wish is not for retribution. We hope this tragedy serves as a reminder of how precious and fragile life truly is”.
Summing up, Judge Garavan noted the wish of the Forkins that there be no retribution and said this spoke for the quality of the family.
He said it was extraordinary that a woman of 84, going through a terribly frightening experience, that her first thoughts were with the people in the other car. There was no anger, no blame, she was concerned for their welfare.
Judge Garavan said it was clear Alqarra had not been keeping a proper lookout but there were no aggravating factors such as worn tyres, defective vehicle or use of a mobile phone.
“I genuinely accept his remorse and regret”, the judge stated.
Stating there was nothing to be gained from putting Alqarra behind bars, Judge Garavan ordered him to complete a Safer Driving Course during the year he is banned from driving.
