A woman has been jailed for three years in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today for causing the death of a backseat passenger while driving under the influence of alcohol.
Mother of one, Louise Ball (28), from Swords Manor Crescent, Swords, Co Dublin, will begin her sentence on January 2nd, 2005.
Ball was disqualified from driving for 10 years, and the final year of her sentence was suspended by Judge Desmond Hogan on the condition of good behaviour for five years.
Ball had pleaded guilty of causing the death of Gareth Murphy (25) on October 12th, 2002, when she lost control of the car on the Rathbeale Road, as she drove Mr Murphy and another friend home from a pub in Swords.
Both Ball and the other passenger, Mr Andrew Mark, escaped unhurt, but Mr Murphy was pronounced dead at Beaumont Hospital shortly afterwards.