‘When Meg was killed, I lost my reason for fighting my illness’

“When I heard Meg had been killed in a car crash, my world fell apart. When Meg was taken, I lost my permanent carer, my confidante, my reason for getting up and fighting my illness.”

Valda Johnston’s victim impact statement was read out in court yesterday as Sean Casey was sentenced to seven years in jail for causing the death of her daughter.

The 26-year-old from Cooragannive, Skibbereen, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Megan Johnston, 22, from Skibbereen who was a passenger. The charge also included the serious bodily harm caused to Kate Petford, who is now a quadriplegic, and to three young men, Michael Connolly, Patrick O’Sullivan, and Michael West.

Meg’s mother told the court: “When I got sick, Meg gave up college and was 100% there for me as a carer and emotionally. She was the one person I kept going for — her daily visits to the hospital, taking me out on trips, running our home.

“She did all this with a smile, a giggle and love — I cannot express how brilliant she was with me. I knew we had a special bond and I didn’t want her to give up her lifestyle for me, but she did and I loved her for making me feel safe, loved, and never treating me any differently than she did before I had my stroke.”

Kate Petford said her greatest regret was that she lost her best friend in the collision. Ms Petford did not attend Cork Circuit Criminal Court, as she is still receiving treatment in the National Rehabilitation Institute, but her victim impact statement was read by Garda Oonagh Collins.

Casey was four times over the legal limit at the time of the crash, and also fled the scene, but later rang the emergency services and was found hiding in a ditch.

He told the court: “I am very sorry for what happened. It kills me every day to think about what happened. I am just really sorry. There is not much more I can say.”

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said: “This is an extremely serious case where the accused comes before the court for dangerous driving causing the death of one person and serious incapacity of another.

“He says he is riddled with regret and remorse, and so he should be. Courts have dealt with dangerous driving causing death before but none of this magnitude.”