Racism in the Irish Courts

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday October 18, 2002 14:02 by Liam

Is this fair?

Remember the Nigerian driver who sped up Henry Street in Dublin. He got five years. I'm not defending his stupid and selfish actions but contrast this with this story on RTE's website today.

A black man who injures several people, some of them seriously, gets five years for reckless driving

A white man whose reckless driving kills a woman gets ONE year.

One-year sentence for reckless driving

October 18, 2002

(13:52) A 22-year-old Dublin man who killed an American tourist when he lost control of his car at high speed has been jailed for a year by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Paul Mulvaney from Seacrest, Baldoyle, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, causing the death of Judith Martin, a 52-year-old mother of two in October last year.

Her daughter, Dina, said there would never be any justice for her mother's death.

Mulvaney had claimed he swerved to avoid a dog in the middle of the road and struck Mrs Martin. His friend supported his story initially before admitting there was no dog. Mulvaney had been speeding and showing off.

Jeanette and Dina Martin, the two daughters of Mrs Martin, were in court to hear the one-year sentence imposed.

Paul Mulvaney and his father Gerard apologised to the Martin family.

Sentencing Paul Mulvaney, Judge Michael White placed his crime in the medium category and jailed him for one year. He disqualified him from driving for ten years.