Girl, 11, left lying on road after hit and run

An 11-year-old girl was left lying slumped on a road after being struck by a stolen BMW car that did not stop.

The car fled the scene of the accident in Cork and travelled to Kerry where a passenger was ordered to burn out the vehicle.

However, the passenger later decided to drive the car back and handed himself in to gardaí.

Judge Leo Malone said Owen Murphy’s actions showed he had some conscience and he would be given credit for that, before yesterday’s sentencing at Cork District Court.

On the particular charge of impeding the investigation of a crime, Murphy was given a seven-month jail sentence.

The judge said the offence carried a maximum sentence of a year and he would give the accused “a discount” of five months.

The seven-month sentence imposed on Murphy, aged 28, of St Vincent’s hostel, Anglesea Terrace, Cork, related to a charge of impeding the prosecution of an offender and other offences.

Inspector Adrian Gamble said the background to the case related to a serious incident on the road in Cork City where an 11-year-old girl was knocked down.

She was left slumped in the middle of the road.

The silver BMW involved in the accident on August 6, 2014, was driven away from the scene.

Murphy was a backseat passenger in the BMW which was then driven to Kerry.

The defendant was instructed to wipe it clear of fingerprints. He was also told to take the car to Limerick and burn it out.

Instead Murphy drove the car back to Cork, parked it, and threw the key into a drain. He subsequently presented himself to Detective Sergeant Vincent O’Sullivan and told him he had been in the car at the time the child was knocked down.

Judge Malone asked yesterday what had become of the injured girl. Insp Gamble said he understood she had gone on to make a recovery.

The inspector also said Det Sgt O’Sullivan, who dealt with Murphy, was not present in court yesterday but the officer had asked for it to be indicated Murphy had shown genuine remorse.

Murphy pleaded guilty to a charge of impeding the prosecution of an offender.

Judge Malone said of Murphy: “His actions at the very end of the events shows that he must have a conscience.”

The judge said, as well as facing a possible 12-month sentence on the charge of impeding a prosecution, Murphy also faced a possible maximum of two years when all of the other offences, including several thefts, were taken into consideration.

Judge Malone said Murphy’s seven-month jail term was lenient.