Hit-and-run driver ordered to pay €1000 fine

A hit-and-run taxi driver who broke a red light and knocked down a five-year-old boy crossing the road has been ordered to pay a €1,000 fine or serve a one year prison sentence.

Salvatore Macken (64) was given a 12-month sentence by Judge Katherine Delahunt but she suspended it because of his age and medical problems.

Judge Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court also banned father-of-eight Macken from driving for 10 years.

Macken from St Dominics Avenue, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, leaving the scene of an accident and failing to report the accident.

Garda Camon Ryan told Mr Paul Burns BL, prosecuting, that Macken drove his taxi through a red light in Tallaght on September 11, 2001.

Kevin Corrigan was walking across the road with the aid of a 'lollipop lady' just in front of his mother, who was wheeling a pram. Kevin was thrown into the air, and landed on the bonnet of Macken's car before being carried for 30 feet and hitting his head on the ground.

Garda Ryan said Macken stopped about 100 yards from the scene of the accident, looked in his rear view mirror and drove off.

The victim received injuries to his spleen and a clavicle injury to his left side. He was in hospital for a number of weeks but had now made a full physical recovery.

Mr Kieran Kelly BL, for Macken, said his client had just come from a garage where he had watched coverage of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York and this might have been on his mind when he broke the lights and knocked down the young boy.

Mr Kelly said his client had brought €1,000 euro to court as a gesture of remorse to the Corrigan family but they were unwilling to accept the money.

Judge Delahunt said it was a serious road traffic accident but was seriously aggravated by the fact that Macken left the scene after he knocked down the young boy.

"Any accident such as this is traumatic for all concerned, especially when it involves a serious injury to a young child. It must also have been very traumatic for Mrs Corrigan who witnessed at first hand the incident," she said.

Garda Ryan said gardai made extensive inquiries after the accident, with the help of the local media, in trying to locate the driver and after two days Macken was nominated as a suspect.

He was interviewed and at first denied knowledge of the accident before breaking down and admitting his involvement. He said he just panicked and drove off but had been praying for the boy's welfare since. He couldn't explain why he didn't see the red light or the boy.

Macken told Mr Kelly that he was a taxi driver from 1965 to 1978 before starting a job with Packard Electric. He was made redundant from that job in 1996 and got back into the taxi business. He completely retired two months ago and now never drove at all.

He said he was always a very slow driver and in over 40 years holding a licence it was only the third claim he ever had but the first that he was responsible for.

"It's all a blank to me and I can't explain anything. I wish to God it never happened. I say a prayer for the child every night and I hope he goes on to lead an active and healthy life," he added.