A 29-year-old Killorglin woman will appeal her four-year prison sentence for dangerous driving causing the death of a man in mid-Kerry.
Jade Moriarty of Muingaphuca, Killorglin, knocked 68-year-old Patrick Murphy off his bike and did not remain at the scene, on the morning of 3rd September 2023.
Ms Moriarty was driving her boyfriend’s van to go looking for him after a night of heavy drinking, and hit Mr Murphy’s bicycle, propelling him over eight metres.
Mr Murphy suffered severe brain injuries and a blunt force injury to his chest, but was not killed instantly; Ms Moriarty did not remain at the scene and crashed the van about 2.5km down the road.
Ms Moriarty was well above the legal alcohol limit, was a learner driver at the time, and was not insured on the vehicle she was driving.
The 29-year-old, mother-of-three was jailed for four years last week by Judge Ronan Munro, but Radio Kerry has learned she will appeal the severity of this sentence.
The maximum sentence for the offence of dangerous driving causing death is ten years, and Judge Munro set a headline sentence of seven years.
He reduced this to four years and eight months, adding he was bound by law to give a significant discount for her early guilty plea, and her lack of previous convictions was also a mitigating factor.
Judge Munro suspended the final eight months, and disqualified her from driving for eight years.
Ms Moriarty’s solicitor, Pádraig O’Connell, has told Radio Kerry she will appeal the severity of the sentence within the 28-day timeframe as set out in legislation.
Mr O’Connell said the state will be put on notice, and the appeal will go before three judges at the Court of Appeal.
Ms Moriarty began serving her sentence last Thursday.
