A DONEGAL farmer, who appeared to be asleep as he drove on the wrong side of the road before a fatal road crash in which his passenger died, has been jailed for 7½ years.
Oliver Shovelin (32), Clondallon, Rathmullen, had 27 previous convictions, including several for drink driving, and had lost a brother in another car crash some years ago.
Shovelin was convicted last April by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after just 48 minutes of dangerous driving causing the death of his passenger, John Sheridan (19).
He was also convicted of causing bodily harm to another motorist, Deirdre O’Brien, at Cookstown, Ardee, Co Louth, in the same incident on July 11th, 2004.
Sgt Brendan Goodison told Fergal Foley, prosecuting, that Mr Sheridan and Shovelin were “acquaintances” rather than friends. The arrangement to travel to Croke Park together to see Donegal play Armagh had been the result of a “chance meeting” the night before.
David Goldberg SC, defending, said Shovelin continued to maintain he had no memory of what had happened. He said Shovelin had suffered severe brain trauma and had remained in hospital for seven months.
Judge Tony Hunt said a probation report had outlined that Shovelin continued to make denials regarding his culpability.
He found assertions by Shovelin such as that Ms O’Brien should have swerved to other side of the road to avoid him as “an outrageous stance”. Shovelin had shown remorse for the death of Mr Sheridan but seem “singularly incapable” of connecting his actions to the death and had not verbalised any concern for the badly injured Ms O’Brien, he said.
Judge Hunt added that the victim impact statement prepared by the Sheridan family was “deeply moving” and he said it was clear they loved him very much and felt his loss deeply.
He said Ms O’Brien, who suffered multiple fractures to her legs, was making good progress but faced the prospect of further surgery. Shovelin had displayed a “consistent pattern of bad driving and not a moment or madness or moment of inattention to which we are all prone”.
He noted that Shovelin had purchased the Ford Escort van he was driving the day before the crash and had neither familiarised himself with the van nor got insurance.
Judge Hunt imposed concurrent sentences totalling 7½ years and took the charges of having no insurance and failing to produce insurance into account.