A Co Down pensioner who drove his car into two cyclists, killing one and seriously injuring the other, was jailed for two and a half years today .

Arthur Robert McGrillen was told he will spend a further 30 months on supervised licence following his release from custody.

The 74-year-old appeared at Downpatrick Crown Court, sitting in Belfast, via videolink from Maghaberry Prison, assisted by the aid of a wheelchair.

McGrillen, of Catherine Street, Killyleagh, “ploughed into” Aidan Fitzpatrick on Sunday, October 20, 2019, causing “unbearable pain for his widow and family”, said Judge Geoffrey Miller KC.

The pensioner also drove his black Mercedes C-Class into Ralph Mills, leaving him in “constant pain, with survivor’s guilt and a joyless outlook on life”.

The collision happened on a “straight stretch” of the 60mph Killyleagh Road in Downpatrick as the men cycled towards the village of Killyleagh.

Prosecution counsel Ciaran Murphy KC said a passing ambulance was alerted to the collision and was quickly on the scene.

Both victims were rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast where Mr Fitzpatrick tragically died from his injuries on Tuesday, October 22, 2019..

The prosecutor said McGrillen had “driven through the cyclists without making any attempt to avoid them”.

The first police officer on the scene spoke to McGrillen and when he asked what had happened, the defendant replied: “I didn’t see them.”

McGrillen later claimed the cyclists were at fault, telling police they were “too wide on the road... were not riding in single file... I went to go around them and they bumped on top of my car”.

However, it was only late in the proceedings that McGrillen accepted he was at fault and “expressed remorse and hurt” for the victims and their families.

McGrillen had initially denied the charges but in May this year entered guilty pleas to causing the death of Mr Fitzpatrick by dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily injury to Mr Mills.

The court heard McGrillen’s car was forensically examined and found to have damage to the front bumper, a wing mirror, the windscreen in front of the driver’s seat had sustained “severe impact damage” and there was “denting to the roof above the windscreen”.

Mr Murphy said: “Mr Fitzpatrick’s black bike was found on the front offside of the Mercedes car and a wheel of his bike was found lodged under the front offside tyre.

“Mr Mills’ red bike was found at a roadside verge beside a parked lorry. His separated back wheel was found behind the lorry.”

In a statement to police, Mr Mills said he and Mr Fitzpatrick were cycling “side by side” and didn’t see the Mercedes car approaching before it struck them from behind.

Mr Murphy said that McGrillen had suffered a stroke in 2017 but had failed to declare his condition when renewing his licence the following year.

When asked on a motoring insurance form if he suffered from any illnesses, including a stroke, which could affect his entitlement or ability to drive, he answered “no”.

Mr Murphy told the court: “Had he made a disclosure about his medical condition prior to the accident, we say it is reasonable to conclude that his licence would have been revoked.

“This is an aggravating feature in that had he made the appropriate disclosures he would not have been driving and the collision would not have occurred.”

In reference to McGrillen’s assertion that he was not aware he suffered from a stroke and its consequences, Judge Miller said medical reports showed that the defendant had received help from the local community stroke team for his “daily living”.

“I am satisfied that he would have been all too aware of his condition,” said the judge.

Judge Miller also noted that on the day of the tragedy McGrillen had “taken no steps whatsoever to avoid a full-on, nose-to-tail collision”, but had “ploughed straight into them”, which was captured on both Mr Mills’ cycle-mounted rear-facing camera and dashcam footage from a passing ambulance.

“This amounts to an exceptionally bad piece of driving which resulted in a fatality and serious injury. I am satisfied that this amounts to an aggravating feature of dangerousness in this case.

“He first blamed the cyclists and claimed he was not at fault. Had it not been shown in Mr Mills’ camera footage he might have persisted in this lie,” said Judge Miller.

As well as the five-year determinate sentence for causing death by dangerous driving, McGrillen received a further four-year concurrent sentence for causing grievous bodily injury.

Judge Miller also banned the defendant from driving for life

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/courts/killyleagh-pensioner-who-ploughed-into-two-cyclists-resulting-in-a-fatality-and-serious-injury-is-jailed/42119099.html

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

Old news: Fri 4 Nov 2022 at 13:52

> https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/courts/killyleagh-pensioner-who-ploughed-into-two-cyclists-resulting-in-a-fatality-and-serious-injury-is-jailed/42119099.html

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Spike

QUOTE: Judge Miller also banned the defendant from driving for life ENDS

Yet another "impossible" lifetime ban - seems to be one every month.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE: Judge Miller also banned the defendant from driving for life ENDS

> Yet another "impossible" lifetime ban - seems to be one every month.

Based on a report that’s a year old?

Arithmetic isn’t your strong suit, is it?

Think 60 minus 40 equals 30, for example.

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Spike

QUOTE: A Co Down pensioner who drove his car into two cyclists, killing one and seriously injuring the other, was jailed for two and a half years today . Arthur Robert McGrillen was told he will spend a further 30 months on supervised licence following his release from custody.

The 74-year-old appeared at Downpatrick Crown Court, sitting in Belfast, via videolink from Maghaberry Prison, assisted by the aid of a wheelchair. ENDS

Do courts have a supply of wheelchairs, crutches, walking sticks and face masks for the scrotes to use as they enter the building as they all seem to use them in an attempt to garner sympathy?