Injured couple feel 'let down" by justice system

A Kells couple who suffered appalling injuries when they were struck by a drunk driver last January are angered that the extent of their injuries were not described when the case came to court. Brendan and Patricia Moore, whose lives were devastated by the incident in Kells on 31st January this year, believe the driver got off lightly and should have received a much heftier fine and been banned from driving for longer. Patricia (46) currently uses a wheelchair and Brendan (51) suffered a broken shoulder and a severe laceration to the left side of his head which required 10 staples. Neither couple have been able to work since the incident. Their daughter, Antoinette, is furious that, after all her parents" pain and suffering, all the driver received was a two-month suspended sentence, a driving ban of three years and a €1,000 fine. 'Where is the justice is in that? My parents have been let down by the judicial system,' she said. The couple had met with some friends in The Abbey House pub in Kells earlier that evening and were walking home at around 9.30pm when they were struck by a car which failed to stop at the Circular Road/Cavan Road junction in the town. During the recent court case at the local court, it emerged that the car careered across the road, mounted the footpath and went into the car park at the Carrick House pub, where it collided with the couple. Brendan was carried on the bonnet of the car and only fell off when the driver collided with another vehicle. 'We had just said goodnight to our friends when we were hit. We don"t actually remember it, but our friend thought we were dead,' Brendan explained. Patricia suffered a broken pelvis, a broken thumb and wrist and had a severe laceration above her left eye for which she had to receive 10 stitches as well as multiple small lacerations around her head. She can now only move around her home with a walking aid and has to use a wheelchair if she needs to travel any distance. Her family have had to make up a bed in the sitting-room as she cannot get upstairs to her bedroom. 'I was in hospital until 20th February and was in intensive care for a week. When I woke up in intensive care, I was very worried,' she recalled. Patricia, who works in SuperValu, Kells, has no idea when or if she will be able to return to work, and Brendan, too, has also been off work since the incident. 'I cannot cook or clean either and Brendan has to do it all. I was used to getting out to work and this is very frustrating and annoying,' she added. Brendan suffered a broken left shoulder and had to have 10 staples inserted in his head. He also received multiple lacerations around his face which had to be stitched and severe soft tissue injuries to his back and legs. He is currently undergoing physiotherapy and hopes that he will soon be able to return to work. Both victims were shocked following the recent court case particularly over the fact that the extent of their injuries were not made known to the court. They also believe the driver should have received a longer driving disqualification Grzegorz Pieczyrak, with an address at Fitzpatrick Court, Navan, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and dangerous driving and received a €750 fine and two-month suspended sentence on the drink-driving charge, which also carried a three-year driving ban. He was also fined €250 for dangerous driving and banned from driving for a concurrent two years on that charge. The remarkably generous couple say they wouldn"t have wanted Pieczyrak jailed as they believe he has a young child or children, but they feel he shouldn"t be allowed to drive for many years. 'I think he got off very light. He should have been banned for longer and given a heavier fine, but maybe not jail,' Brendan said. He definitely wrecked our lives, but he got off with a slap on the wrist,' added Patricia.