A judge has said an 87-year-old woman "should not have been driving" as he sentenced her for a "shocking" collision where she hit a grandmother and granddaughter at a pedestrian crossing.
Valeria Greenwood of Woodvale Road, Eglington, appeared at Derry Crown Court on Thursday, March 6, where she was sentenced after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Donna Deeney following a collision on Main Street in the Co Derry village on December 11, 2023.
The court heard that Donna Deeney had been crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing with her three-year-old granddaughter Fiadh when they were hit by a grey Vauxhall Corsa being driven by Greenwood. Both Ms Deeney and her granddaughter ended up on the bonnet of the vehicle, with Fiadh ending up on the road with the car driving over the top of her.
Dashcam footage from an Ulsterbus was played to the court and showed the moment the "shocking" collision happened. It noted that two other pedestrians had moved onto the crossing prior to Ms Deeney and her granddaughter which Greenwood should have noticed and forewarned her that there were people on the crossing at the time.
Ms Deeney suffered serious injuries as a result of the collision, including a broken leg and wrist, with her granddaughter avoiding serious injury as her grandmother was hit by the vehicle first and protected her from the initial impact of the crash. Both had to be taken to hospital following the collision.
Greenwood then drove another 20 to 30 meters before stopping her car. She was later arrested after speaking with paramedics but was not deemed to have the capacity for an interview at the time. Greenwood then voluntarily appeared at a police station for questioning at a later date where she admitted to being the driver of the vehicle but answered no comment to all other questions.
Greenwood was asked if she had a message for Ms Deeney and her granddaughter, with her saying that she was sorry.
A victim impact statement from Ms Deeney highlighted how the collision has changed her life as she has gone from a provider and caregiver in her family to someone who needs to rely on others for support. She remains in constant pain due to her injuries and had a number of surgeries and will require further surgery in the future including a possible knee replacement.
However, she said that while her physical injuries will eventually heal, she does not know if she will ever get over the trauma of lying on the road watching a car drive over the top of her three-year-old granddaughter.
The court heard that Greenwood pleaded guilty to the offence at the earliest opportunity and was "very remorseful" for her actions and the pain that she has caused. She had also surrendered her driving licence following the collision.
It heard that prior to the collision she had spent 65 years making a positive impact on her community as a teacher, beaver troop leader and charity volunteer. She was described as currently having significant mobility issues and was "profoundly deaf" with her condition having deteriorated throughout the course of the court proceedings.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Rafferty KC said that Greenwood culpability for the offence was high and "not far from dangerous driving" given that the collision took place at a pedestrian crossing, something frequently used by "vulnerable road users".
He said that while some elderly drivers in their 80s could be capable drivers, others needed to appreciate the cumulative impact that age can have on their cognitive ability and that while Greenwood was legally on the road, "objectively she should not have been driving on the road".
Greenwood was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, with the judge noting her age and health issues when making the decision to suspend the sentence. However he did warn Greenwood that she would serve a jail sentence if she commits any further offences.
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