A man has been jailed for six years for his role in a fatal road crash that killed a Leitrim mother of four.
36-year-old Gary Crichton said sorry to the family of Claire Bann as he was led away at Longford Circuit Court on Thursday afternoon.
Last week the court heard details of how the vehicle driven by the accused collided with the car driven by Claire Bann on the night of the 30th of November 2017, just outside Drumlish in Longford.
Mr Crichton's VW polo was 2.5 metres on the wrong side of the road when the collision occurred, and a third vehicle subsequently drove into Ms Bann's car, which was then on its side, causing fatal injuries.
At the sentence hearing, Judge Keenan Johnson said the accused was clearly unfit to drive as he was intoxicated on the night and the prime responsibility for the crash rested with him.
Judge Johnson said it was clear the crash had profoundly affected Ms Bann's four children, as well as the life of her partner Alan Gilroy.
The court heard Mr Creighton had 59 previous convictions, including five for drink driving and last week the accused offered an apology in court, claiming that he was "deeply, deeply sorry" and he hopes that in time the family can find it in their heart to forgive him.
Ms Bann's four children were in court to hear the accused sentenced to seven years and six months in jail, with the final 18 months suspended for five years on a number of conditions.
He was also banned from driving for 15 years.
Judge Johnson also told the Bann children that their mother's death would not be in vain, and she would not be forgotten.
The 36-year-old's sentence has been backdated to the time he first entered custody in May of last year.
