Courts / Westmeath / Report
Garda who caused death of mum-of-three to be jailed after successful appeal
Summary
A garda who pleaded guilty to causing the death of a woman by dangerous driving has been jailed following a successful appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Patrick McDonnell, aged 42, with an address in County Galway, was originally sentenced to two years suspended at Trim Circuit Court in June 2020 for the death of Jacqueline Wolohan on the M4 near Kinnegad, Westmeath, on 13 February 2016. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence unduly lenient and imposed two-and-a-half years imprisonment, with the final year suspended for two years. The three-judge court accepted that the trial judge had placed disproportionate weight on McDonnell's character and previous record while insufficiently regarding the speed of his vehicle, recorded at approximately 140 kilometres per hour, and his departure from the scene. Ms Wolohan, aged 51 from Dublin, was returning from Longford when struck from behind. McDonnell, an 18-year garda, is subject to summary dismissal proceedings.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Garda who caused death of mum-of-three to be jailed after successful appeal. Charges or matters: dangerous driving causing the death of Jacqueline Wolohan on the M4 at Rossan, Kinnegad, Westmeath, at around 1am on February 13, 2016. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- February 13, 2016 Other
- 2021-02-01 Publication
Why: Mr Greene said that his client was easily identifiable for those searching for him because he had left his car at the scene. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: dangerous driving causing the death of Jacqueline Wolohan on the M4 at Rossan, Kinnegad, Westmeath, at around 1am on February 13, 2016 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: McDonnell, a garda of 18 years who is the subject of a summary dismissal procedure by the force, was today jailed by the Court of Appeal for two-and-a-half years, with the final year of the sentence suspended for two years. In June of last year, he was sentenced to a two-year fully-suspended sentence and banned from driving for four years by Judge Terence O'Sullivan at Trim Circuit Court.
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