A man who killed an elderly woman in a hit-and-run incident involving a stolen e-scooter has been jailed for six and a half years.
Mary Bernie (87), known as Peg, died from her injuries three days after she was knocked down on Eccles Street, Dublin 7, on June 20th last year.
Aaron Gumble (28), of Drumalee Park, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, was sentenced on Thursday to eight years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended.
Gumble, who had been on bail for theft offences at the time, was also disqualified from driving for 10 years. He had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, causing death, leaving the scene and theft of an e-scooter from the underground carpark of the Mater Public Hospital.
Podcast: Terry Prone on allowing son Anton Savage to be in her publicity as a child: ‘I think it was the wrong thing to do’
Man who drowned off Galway coast named as singer-songwriter Johnny Duhan
Woman who alleges she was raped by Conor McGregor had ‘severe’ post-traumatic stress disorder, psychiatrist tells court
Owen Doyle: Ireland must ensure Scott Barrett’s claim about Joe McCarthy is not swept under the carpet
Passing sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Pauline Codd said the family of the late Mrs Bernie were dealing with “unspeakable trauma” from the harrowing loss of their treasured mother.
After viewing CCTV footage of the incident, Judge Codd noted that Gumble had shouted for help where Mrs Bernie lay on the ground before fleeing the scene. “He seemed more motivated to make good his getaway than to help the woman he had collided with and left on the ground. He asked others to help her but wasn’t willing to do so himself,” she said.
Setting a headline sentence of nine and a half years, Judge Codd said it was a significant aggravating factor that Gumble had left the scene.
Reading her victim impact report on behalf of the Bernie family, Denise McDonnell remembered her mother as “a kind, generous, gym-going, bridge-playing, energetic woman, who expressed her love for her family through cooking and baking”.
Gumble has 140 previous convictions, the court heard.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis