Woman pleads guilty to dangerous driving causing death

A 46-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of a mother-of-two in Cork earlier this year.

Jennifer Thomas, of Oakfield View, Glanmire, Co Cork, appeared before Cork Circuit Criminal Court where she entered a plea of guilty to the charge of dangerous driving causing the death of 50-year-old Sheila Dunne at Sarsfield Court in Glanmire on 11 February last.

Defence Counsel Tom Creed, senior counsel, said this was a "very sad case involving loss of life".

He applied for an adjournment to the next sessions so that a Probation and Welfare report could be prepared, and asked that legal aid could be extended to cover reports from the defendant's GP and a psychologist.

He said victim impact reports would also be required.

Katherine McGillicuddy, junior counsel for the prosecution, told Judge Helen Boyle that Ms Dunne's family would prefer if it was dealt with during these sessions, adding that they have already prepared victim impact statements.

Mr Creed said in that case, he would do his very best to get the reports for these sessions and asked Judge Boyle to seek for them to be expediated given the circumstances.

Judge Boyle said she would be adjourning the case until 19 November when a date would be set for sentencing.