‘I know there is nothing I can do about it now’

A young driver “took his friend’s life” when he lost control at a junction and crashed into the pillar of a house in Co Cork.

Before 23-year-old Paddy Buckley — who had been drinking all night with friends — approached the junction near Macroom sometime after 6am, he turned to his passengers and said: “Will I go for it?”

According to gardaí, Buckley’s Renault Megane, travelling at between 80 and 100km/h, crossed the junction, spun out of control, and struck the pillar.

Passenger Keith Sheehan, also 23, died in the crash at Gurteenroe, Macroom, on Aug 29, 2010.

Buckley, aged 23, from Ballyvoushill, Millstreet, Co Cork, was charged with dangerous driving causing death and given a three-year jail sentence. At Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday, Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin suspended 18 months of the sentence and disqualified Buckley from driving for six years.

Buckley spoke quietly from the witness box. He said: “I feel terrible. I lie awake at night thinking about Keith. I know there is nothing I can do about it now. I want to apologise to Keith’s family and anybody who was affected by the accident.”

Buckley previously visited the Sheehan family and apologised in person for his dangerous driving, which caused the death of Keith Sheehan.

Tom Creed, defence senior counsel, said on Buckley’s behalf: “Knowing you have taken your friend’s life, for the rest of your life, it is more serious punishment than the court can mete out.”

Judge Ó Donnabháin said every young man in Ireland who gets a driving licence should read the victim impact statement by Margaret Sheehan, Keith’s mother.

Siobhán Lankford, prosecution barrister, read the victim impact statement in court — one which the sentencing judge described as the most powerful he had ever seen.

Ms Lankford said the Sheehan family also made it known that the family did not necessarily want Buckley to spend time in custody.

The judge said that everyone would acknowledge that and the defendant would be grateful for it. However, he also said it was not possible to impose a non-custodial sentence.

Garda Ray Griffin said the defendant, the deceased, and a third man had been drinking together on the night of Aug 28, 2010, and into the early morning. Buckley drove from Millstreet at 6am with Mr Sheehan as a back seat passenger.

Approaching the junction where the crash occurred, Buckley should have stopped but, at a speed of 80-100km/h, he turned to his passengers and said “will I go for it?”, the garda testified.

Later at the hospital, Buckley was tested for alcohol and found to have 118mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood and the presence of an opiate was found.

It was agreed there could have been an explanation for the opiate in terms of possibly taking medication in the previous days.

Meanwhile, on Jan 10 last, Buckley was convicted of drink driving on Sept 16, 2009, a conviction that was under appeal, Garda Griffin said.