Drink-driver crashed into woman before a first date

Drink-driver crashed into woman before a first date

8 June 2016

A KILLYLEAGH motorist, who crashed into a woman he was driving to meet for a first date, has been jailed for 21 months.

Trevor Woodside, of Castleview, was in a stolen vehicle when he ploughed drunkenly into a car driven by the woman he was planning to meet on March 30, 2014.

Woodside, a jockey, admitted four charges linked to the crash, including causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving with excess alcohol and driving without insurance.

Sentencing him to a three-and-a-half year jail term, half of which must be spent in custody, a Judge said his “appalling piece of driving” had left his victim with “significant long-term” injuries, both physical and psychological.

The woman, who knew Woodside from events at Downpatrick Racecourse, told police she had taken several calls and texts from him as he made his way to meet her, prompting her to query whether or not he had been drinking.

She said he had denied drinking and she had told him to be patient and “catch himself on.”

As she was passing Downpatrick Racecourse at Ballydugan Road, the woman saw a black Mercedes “come straight at her on her side of the road.”

Witnesses, some of whom said they were unable to sleep for several days after the accident, later said the Mercedes had come into view “like a rocket” with experts estimating Woodside had been driving between 79mph 

and 87mph.

The court heard the woman, who was knocked unconscious by the impact, was physically sick when she was later told in hospital who had been driving the other car.

She had open surgery immediately after the accident, requiring a further operation two weeks later.

The court heard than Woodside’s blood alcohol level was still twice the legal limit five hours after the accident.

CCTV footage seized from Downpatrick showed him driving at up to 53mph in the 30mph zone at Market Street as he drove towards Ballydugan Road.

He said he had no memory of planning to meet the woman and described the incident as a “moment of madness.”

Woodside, who was sentenced at Downpatrick Crown Court, sitting in Newtownards on Friday, apologised for “being an idiot”

The court heard had taken a Mercedes car belonging to his employer without his permission and had been drinking earlier on the day of the crash.

Defence lawyer, Mr Eugene Grant QC, explained events unfolded after Woodside had gone for Sunday lunch with his employer and family before returning to his employer’s yard to tend to horses.

He said the defendant had shown genuine remorse for the case, which he described as “tragic,”

In a discussion with his doctor, Woodside said he would like to apologise to the woman for the grief and pain caused to her and her family.

The court heard that Woodside is unlikely to ride again because of injuries sustained in the accident.