Derry Crown Court: Woman (23) jailed for causing grievous bodily injury to another woman by careless driving

A woman from Cookstown has been jailed at Derry Crown Court for causing grievous bodily injury to another woman by careless driving while having excess alcohol.

Aoibhin Quinn (23) of Ardboe Road in Cookstown broke down in tears after an 18 month sentence was passed by Judge Philip Babington today.

The court heard that around 1.00am on August 22 2021 police attended a traffic accident on the Hillhead Road in Castledawson.

They found a vehicle had hit a tree and the injured party was in the passenger seat and the defendant lying outside the vehicle.

When asked where in the car she had been Quinn told police she could not remember.

The defendant was taken to hospital and a blood test revealed a reading of almost twice the legal limit.

The court heard that the injured party had spinal and vascular injuries and was in Intensive Care at the Royal Victoria hospital in Belfast for a period.

She said in a report that medical staff 'worked tirelessly to save her life' and she had to adjust to the fact she had gone from being an independent student to someone with 'physical difficulties'.

She said she hoped to lead 'a normal but different life'.

The court heard that she bore no ill will towards the defendant and accepted she had made an error.

As regards the defendant Judge Babington said she had gone to a party and had said if she took a drink she would phone her mother for a lift.

She had no memory of leaving the party and could only remember waking up after the collision.

The judge said that Quinn had also suffered injuries in the crash including a broken collar bone and a fracture to her knee cap.

The judge said that Quinn had 'expressed regret' during interviews but could not recall what had happened.

The car had been travelling at 60mph at the time of the accident which was the speed limit for the road.

Quinn was sentenced to 18 months in prison meaning nine months in custody and nine on licence and disqualified from driving for three years.