Restorative Justice Programme successful in dealing with Cork court case 

The restorative justice programme was successful in bringing together a 72-year-old woman responsible for a head-on car crash with the 46-year-old woman in the other car who sustained catastrophic injuries.

Judge Cormac Quinn adjourned sentencing last summer until today for the defendant and the injured party to meet under the auspices of the probation service for a restorative justice programme.

Judge Quinn said he was glad to hear that this process had been successful.

The judge then finalised the case with the imposition of a suspended one-year sentence on 72-year-old Mary O’Brien of Alana, Mitchellsfort, Watergrasshill, County Cork, who pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving causing grievous bodily harm. 

He said he would not impose any period of disqualification from driving.

Judge Cormac Quinn said the victim’s injuries were the worst he had seen in such cases.

Garda Mary Brosnan testified that the accident occurred at 6.45pm on February 23, 2023 on the N72 at Pallas, Lombardstown, Mallow, County Cork.

Garda Brosnan said Mary O’Brien was driving from Killarney when her Mercedes Benz veered to the incorrect side of the road and collided with a Renault Grand Scenic driven by the woman, who is now 46. 

Her nine-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter were passengers. Garda Brosnan said the seriously injured driver sustained a fractured pelvis and a number of breaks to both legs while her son had a fractured elbow and collar bone, and her daughter also had a broken pelvis.

The main victim thanked the judge today for suggesting the restorative justice programme, saying: “I think there will be healing in it.”

She said she still felt overwhelmed at times by her physical injuries and was sidelined from family activites.

Defence barrister, Donal O’Sullivan, said that as well as expressing her deep apologies through restorative justice, Mrs O’Brien wanted him to do so publicly through him and she expressed her deep regret for the pain and suffering she had caused to the injured party and her family. She thanked her for meeting her and wished her well with her ongoing recovery.

Judge Quinn said: “I think this is one of the first of these cases dealt with by way of restorative justice.” 

The judge said he was grateful to the injured party for taking part in restorative justice. 

“Obviously, this was a momentary lapse of concentration. But even that can have catastrophic consequences,” he said.