Derry judge raises issues around elderly drivers 'and the risks they pose to other road users'

A woman who was knocked down while crossing a zebra crossing with her 3-year-old granddaughter by a 86-year-old woman has called for a change in the law dealing with older drivers being on the road without proper tests and checks.

Donna Deeney was speaking as Valeria Greenwood (88) of Woodvale Road in Eglinton was sentenced at Derry Crown Court for one charge of causing grievious bodily injury by careless driving on December 11 2023.

The court was shown dashcam footage taken from a bus that had stopped at the crossing which showed Donna Deeney and her granddaughter crossing and being struck by Greenwood's vehicle which failed to stop travelling for about 30 metres.

The court heard that 'fortunately' the child escaped serious injury despite going under the vehicle.

However, Ms Deeney suffered severe injuries with several fractures and spent 10 days in hospital and will require further surgery. 

Greenwood attended for police interview on March 28 2024 and accepted that the car was hers but made no comment after that.

When asked had she any message for the injured party she said 'I am sorry '.

Defence counsel David Russell KC said his client was 'deeply sorry and remorseful'.

He said that what actually occurred would be 'speculation' but it possibly could be 'age related'.

The barrister said that Greenwood had no record and had spent her life serving the community. 

Passing sentence Judge Neil Rafferty KC said that the incident was 'shocking and distressing'.

Addressing Ms Deeney's victim impact report the judge said the victim has said that seeing the car going over her 3-year-old granddaughter was 'something that will never leave me'.

He said that culpability in this case was high as it fell just short of dangerous driving.

The judge said this case raised issues around elderly drivers 'and the risks they pose to other road users'.

He said that while some elderly drivers were capable and fiercely proud of their independence but others, like the defendant, fail to appreciate age related conditions and simply should not be on the road.

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The judge said that on December 11 2023 Greenwood 'simply should not have been on the road.'

He imposed a sentence of 12 months in prison suspended for two years and disqualified her from driving for life.

Speaking after the sentence was passed Ms Deeney said she was satisfied with the sentence and relieved the ordeal was over.

She echoed the judges comments about elderly drivers and said that at certain age threshold be tests in place.

She added: "I always knew she was not going to prison because she was too old but there is a point that if someone is too old to go to prison then they are too old to be on the road."