Man who killed elderly woman in car accident gets community service

A Meath man, who killed a 77-year-old woman by knocking her down as she crossed the road, is to do community service instead of jail time, a court heard today.

Carl Feighery, with an address at Millbourne Crescent, Ashbourne, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing the death of Rose Douglas on January 9, 2013.

Judge Martin Nolan made it clear to Carl Feighery at his last court appearance that he was likely to avoid going to jail.

The 32- year-old electrician was on his way to a dental appointment when he knocked down Rose Douglas (aged 77) at the North Road in Finglas.

She had left the house that morning to collect charity boxes for the hospice from a local garage, and had told her husband she was just popping out for a minute.

The woman, who was both a mother-of-six and a grandmother, died from her injuries at the Mater Hospital later that day.

Carl Feighery told gardaí the sun had been shining directly in his eyes, he saw the lights changing to red and a pedestrian stepping off the curb before the impact

Judge Nolan could find no aggravating factors like drink driving or speeding and concluded the 32 year old was "guilty of losing focus" which he described as a "human frailty".

He said that in his opinion it would be unfair to imprison him “even though the consequences have been dreadful” for the Douglas family and their friends.

The victim's son Dermot Douglas said his father has not had a happy day since his wife of 60 years was killed and has been afraid to leave the house in case he misses her coming home.

Carl Feighery has been disqualified from driving for five years and has been ordered to carry out 240 hours of community service