Minister for Transport Shane Ross has said the imposition of community service on a drink driver who killed a pedestrian and injured two gardaí reinforced the need for sentencing guidelines for judges. Nestor was four times over the drink driving limit when he struck and killed pedestrian Liam McDonnell (66) who was being helped into a Garda car by two gardaí. Leo Lieghio, a member of the Irish Road Victims’ Association (IRVA), said judges appeared to be “completely out of control” when it came to sentencing drink drivers. There is no justice [in this sentence].”Mr Lieghio claimed sentences such as that given to Nestor suggested judges were not treating drink driving as a serious crime. Mr Lieghio said a minimum jail sentence should apply to a drink driver who kills somebody and an offence of “vehicle manslaughter” should also be introduced.

Source: The Irish Times January 19, 2018 12:22 UTC