Eric Ryan given new suspended sentence after successful undue-leniency challenge
This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.
Eric Ryan received a new three-year suspended sentence from the Court of Appeal after the Director of Public Prosecutions successfully challenged his original sentence as unduly lenient. The proceedings were reported on 6 February 2017.
He had pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to Eve Neylon and to failing to offer assistance. The collision occurred at Clanbrassil Street Upper, Dublin, on 6 February 2015.
Judge Patricia Ryan originally imposed a wholly suspended three-year sentence for dangerous driving and community service for failing to offer assistance. Neylon was crossing on a green pedestrian light when Ryan’s car hit her. She sustained life-long injuries and needed four operations on her pelvis and leg.
Dara Hayes BL, for the DPP, said Ryan held a provisional licence, was uninsured and had no supervising driver because his father was intoxicated. Counsel said his father’s influence concerned leaving the scene. Defence barrister Martina Baxter BL described an exceptional situation involving a minor unfamiliar with the city, rather than simply joyriding.
Justice Alan Mahon, sitting with Justice George Birmingham and Justice Garrett Sheehan, said Ryan was under 18 when he offended, had pleaded guilty and was remorseful. The court considered imprisonment of the young first-time offender contrary to the public interest eight months after his original sentencing. Justice Alan Mahon said that, despite his father’s influence, Ryan was primarily responsible for driving and leaving the scene.
The new sentence required payments of €50 weekly to the National Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation in Dun Laoghaire for 18 months, further community service under a local school principal’s tuition and control, probation supervision and good behaviour for 18 months. Justice Alan Mahon described the payments as a significant penalty because Ryan received social welfare and had no immediate employment prospects. Ryan agreed to the conditions.