Hit-and-run driver already banned from driving

A mechanic who fatally injured a student in a hit and run accident and later claimed someone else had been driving his car has been jailed for seven years and disqualified from driving for life.

Eric Doyle (aged 44), had 39 previous road traffic convictions and had been disqualified from driving for four years just two months before the fatal incident as a result of which Trinity College student, Ms Lily Hastings-Bass, lost her life on November 26, 2006. Her organs were donated to medical science.

Doyle, of Whitechurch Avenue, Ballyboden, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing the death of 20-year-old Ms Hastings-Bass on the Rathgar Road. He also pleaded guilty to driving without insurance or a driving licence and failing to stop on the same occasion.

Inspector George McGeary told prosecuting counsel, Mr Vincent Heneghan BL, that Doyle left the scene after hitting Ms Hastings-Bass but gardaí acting on information from an anonymous phone call found his car had damage consistent with having struck a pedestrian at high speed.

Inspt McGeary said Doyle gardaí were later able to map Doyle's movements on the night, through the signal from his mobile phone which he appeared to be using at the time of the accident.

He added that Doyle had since accrued further convictions for drunk driving, driving without insurance and driving with excess speed during 2008 and 2009.

Ms Hastings-Bass, from Berkshire in England, was studying English and History at Trinity College Dublin and had arrived in the country only two months before the accident.

She suffered severe multiple traumas, fractures and serious brain injuries in the accident and died after 11 days on a life support machine.

Her family, who were not in court, outlined in a written victim impact report how they were "devastated" by her death and how Doyle's "utter callousness" in failing to stop at the accident scene and attempting to blame another person for the accident had exacerbated their grief.

Doyle is currently serving a six-month sentence imposed in Arklow District Court on January 28 last for drunken driving, driving without insurance or a driving licence, and giving a false name under the road traffic act at Ballynattin, Arklow on March 20, 2008.

Judge Katherine Delahunt also disqualified Doyle from driving for life and said it was a tragic case in which a young girl had been killed when Doyle should not have even been on the road.

"You showed complete disregard for the law and the penalties imposed on you," Judge Delahunt said.

She said she had taken into account the fact that Doyle had been driving with excessive speed, though not greatly so, that he was on his mobile phone at the time and that he had been driving while disqualified and without insurance.

Judge Delahunt said it was only through "excellent police work" that he was detected after he left the scene of the accident.

Defence counsel, Mr Erwan Mill-Arden SC, said Doyle wished him to convey his "personal remorse, shame and very deep regret over what had happened and his inability to deal with the matter."

Inspector McGeary said Ms Hastings-Bass was returning with friends to a student residence after dinner with friends when the accident occurred.

One of her friends told gardaí that as they began crossing the road a Nissan Micra car approached "unnaturally quickly" and as she reached the pavement she heard a "wooden empty thud" behind her.

She said she did not see the impact but said the car seemed to drive underneath her friend who landed in the gutter. Ms Hastings-Bass was trying to breathe and she covered her until an ambulance arrived.

Inspector McGeary said the victim's friend told gardaí they were clearly visible as they crossed a straight stretch of road and the car did not swerve to avoid them. She said it was her opinion that the driver was not looking at the road ahead.

Ms Hastings-Bass was taken to hospital where she immediately underwent critical surgery but died on December 7, 2006 after 11 days on a life support machine.

Insp McGeary said gardaí received confidential information through an anonymous phone call on December 5, 2006 and seized Doyle's car from outside his home.

Doyle, who was not present when the car was taken, rang gardaí and named a member of the travelling community as the driver of the car on the day.

Insp McGeary said an intoxicated Doyle also attended at a garda station telling the same story.

Garda forensic experts were able to match samples from the deceased woman to specimens from the car and determined it had been travelling at between 60 and 76 kilometres per hour (kph) in a 50 kph zone.

Insp McGeary said gardaí carried out extensive house to house enquiries in the area which revealed Doyle had been in a number of pubs prior to the accident.

Gardaí were able to map his movements through "cross triangulation" of his mobile phone signal and believe he was on the phone at the time of the impact.

Doyle was arrested on December 20, 2006 and maintained his right to silence but later admitted he had tried to pass the blame on to someone else.