THE family of a young West Belfast woman who was killed by a drink driver say they are living a "life sentence".
Lucy McIlhatton (24) was knocked down on the Springfield Road as she walked home from the shop with her partner on January 3, 2021.
On Friday, Gerard McCrory (45), of Dermott Hill Road was handed a six-year prison sentence but will spend half that term in prison and the remaining three years on supervised licence.
Following the sentencing, in a statement posted on social media, the family said: “We don’t know what justice is. Nothing in this world will help us get over the loss of Lucy. Lucy was the most loving, happy and caring person. She was always laughing and loved living her life.
“On January 3, 2021, Lucy and her partner Olibhéar left their new home to go for a walk. Excited for the new year, their new home and their future together, they chatted happily. One stupid, selfish act took our Lucy’s beautiful life away, leaving her family and friends devastated.
“We can’t even imagine what Olibhéar has to live with, as he was with her and had to witness what happened that night.
“We get up every morning to try and push on and be there for each other. Getting up to go to court on Friday just felt like we were reliving the nightmare days that followed Lucy’s death.
“The law is complicated and the sentence given was the highest the judge could give. It’s not fair, but we’ve accepted it.
“We received the life sentence on the night Lucy was knocked down and all we can do as a family is be there and help each other through this ordeal.
“The whole family would like to thank everyone for their messages of love and support — and even their anger.
“We would just like you to remember Lucy. Please don’t forget her. Remember her in your prayers. Think of her and say her name.”
Belfast Crown Court heard Olibhéar and Lucy had stopped to put rubbish in a bin when they were struck by a silver Toyota Avensis driven by McCrory. Ms McIlhatton died at the scene.
Belfast Crown Court heard McCrory was “completely out of it” when police arrived at the scene and that he fought with officers before fleeing the area.
He handed himself in to police in the early hours of the following morning and in a police interview said he had “little or no recollection of what happened that night after about 6pm”.
McCrory told officers he had been drinking whiskey with a relative prior to the collision. He subsequently pleaded guilty to four offences, including causing Ms McIlhatton’s death by dangerous driving and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.
McCrory has since told a probation officer he is deeply sorry for the pain and hurt caused to the McIlhatton family, the court was told.
Judge Neil Rafferty said the victim impact statements from Lucy’s loved ones had been “harrowing” and told them that no sentence he passed would compensate for their loss, adding: “I only hope that this case dissuades anybody of thinking that they can drink and drive. It is simply not true.”
PSNI Inspector Philip McCullagh said the sentence handed down to McCrory is welcome, but “does not ease the lifetime of pain and loss for the victim’s family”.
“This was a young woman walking back from a local shop with her partner, but her young life was tragically ended due to one man’s poor choices that night. Lucy was a much loved daughter and sister who should have had a promising future ahead.
“This sentence handed down today has been the accumulation of the hard work of officers from the Collision Investigation Unit, West Belfast Neighbourhood Policing Team and our Forensic Science colleagues aided by members of the public who assisted in our enquiries. Our thoughts remain with the family of Lucy.”
