Man who caused death of Laois woman fails in bid to have driving licence restored

A man who caused the death of a young Laois woman has failed in his bid to have his driving licence restored.

Brian Kelly (43) of St Brigid’s Place, Portlaoise received a two year suspended sentence and a lifetime driving ban after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Claire Hennessy on October 18, 2008. He was convicted in December 2009.

Now Claire's sister Yvonne says sentences imposed in such cases should be tougher to act as a deterrent against dangerous driving.   

Claire, who was a passenger in the car he was driving, was just 24 years-old at the time of the fatal crash at Rossleighan on the Mountmellick Road in Portlaoise. 

The car left the road and collided with a building.  A Garda Forensic Collision report carried out at the time noted that speed and alcohol intake were the sole reasons for the fatal incident.

In July this year, the Court of Appeal quashed the lifetime driving ban imposed on Mr Kelly and replaced it with a 20 year ban. 

Following the decision by the Court of Appeal, Mr Kelly made an application to Portlaoise Circuit Court to have his driving licence reinstated as he had served more than two thirds of the driving ban. 

However, Judge Kennan Johnson refused the application last Friday, November 1, meaning the 20 year driving ban remains in place.   

Claire Hennessy’s sister Yvonne said she didn’t attend the court in Portlaoise but was informed of the outcome of the application. She said the refusal to restore his licence came as a relief to her family.  

“It was the right decision on the day. We are pleased with it,” she said. 

“It is small in the sense that the lifetime driving ban was reduced to a mere 20 years. Not even a year for every year of Claire’s 24 years,” she stated.

“While the Gardai and the RSA (Road Safety Authority) are trying to reduce road traffic deaths, there should be more focus on sentencing and deterring the offenders in the first place. Drivers who like to drive at speed will not care about the consequences unless those consequences directly impact their day-to-day lives,” Ms  Hennessy stated. 

Ms Hennessy and her family remain unhappy at the leniency of the initial Portlaoise Circuit Court decision and at the Court of Appeal decision to reduce the original lifetime ban to a 20 year driving disqualification. Ms Hennessy said Mr Kelly had never offered an apology to the family.