'You left James to die like a dog in the road'

Accused was disqualified, had smoked cannabis, & fled scene after sending victim cartwheeling into air | Victim's family leave in tears as dash cam footage of crash played | They say James' violent death 'will haunt them forever'

- BY DAVID RALEIGH

THE sister of a man killed by a disqualified driver in a hit-and-run, told the defendant in court: "You left my brother to die like a dog in the road." Aine Forde told the sentencing hearing of Traveller Danny Connors who killed her brother James Forde, 56, that he was "the absolute opposite" of her beloved sibling.

The 30-year-old, from Clondrinagh Halting Site, ran a red light and ploughed into Mr Forde who had been lawfully walking across a pedestrian crossing, at Ennis Road, Limerick, on November 26 last year.

Connors, who was banned from driving at the time, had 120 previous convictions, and had consumed cannabis before he got into his car and drove dangerously along the Ennis Road Moments before the fatal hitand-run, which occurred around 2pm, Connors failed to stop at a stop sign and drove on the wrong side of the road, forcing other motorists to take evasive action.

Mr Forde had pressed the pedestrian push button at the traffic lights pedestrian crossing, and after being prompted by the "green man", he was halfway on the crossing when Connors struck him sending him into the air, killing him.

COLLISION

Prosecuting barrister John O'Sullivan told the sentencing hearing at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court: "The collision cast Mr Forde into the air, he fell heavily on his head, he remained lifeless on the roadway."