Woman haunted by mother’s murder faces sentencing for crash

A young woman who has been haunted by the murder of her mother 22 years ago yesterday faced sentencing for a hit and run where she crashed into a parked car.

Leona McCormack of 20 Glencree Crescent, Mayfield, Cork, appeared at Cork District Court, having spent the previous four days remanded in custody.

Recently, she became a mother herself and she told Judge Olann Kelleher that the four days in jail broke her heart as it was not fair on her infant son to be away from him.

Her solicitor Frank Buttimer said the defendant’s mother was murdered 22 years ago, when Leona was only two years old, and her body was never found.

“She is 24 now. Her mother was murdered. Tragically, she disappeared and has never been located. Even though she cannot remember this, she has been traumatised by it all of her life. The search for her mother has preoccupied her constantly,” Mr Buttimer said.

Against that background she has 46 convictions, most of them related to driving without insurance and related driving offences.

Inspector John Deasy said she was before Cork District Court yesterday for crashing into a parked car at Iona Rd in Mayfield on November 16. McCormack said she had copped herself on and wanted to live a better life for the sake of her child.

Judge Kelleher said a six-month jail term was merited but in light of everything said in court in relation to the child and the defendant’s background, with which he sympathised, he adjourned sentencing to September 2.