Ex-boxing champion jailed for head-on collision
Woman’s injuries were catastrophic
A FORMER all-Ireland boxing champion was banned from the road when he crashed into a mother and her nine-month-old leaving her unable to walk or to plan for more children.
Seán Ward, 27, who has over 65 previous convictions, crashed head-on into a car containing Natasha Keenan, 29, and her son, causing her ‘catastrophic’ injuries, a court heard yesterday.
He was jailed for four years at Dundalk Circuit Court.
Witnesses told gardaí he overtook cars at speed before crashing into Ms Keenan’s car on the wrong side of the road at Carnbeg, Dundalk, Co. Louth, on October 3, 2015.
When, Ward, a Traveller who is an all-Ireland boxing champion, was initially questioned by gardaí, he said that witnesses were ‘telling lies’ and he had been trying to avoid a car coming towards him on the wrong side of the road.
When Ms Keenan regained consciousness after the crash she could see three bones sticking out of her right foot. She was cut out of the car and the pain was so bad that she lost consciousness.
She suffered broken bones in her back, and the bones in both feet were ‘smashed and crushed’, according to Kevin Segrave, prosecuting. She has had ten further surgeries and has had skin grafts and was in hospital for three months after the crash. Her home had to be adapted to be wheelchair accessible. She could not be left alone to care for their son and cannot walk or drive. In a statement, her husband said she would ‘need to learn to walk again’.
The court heard that when gardaí interviewed Ward, of Toberona, Dundalk, he said he had been on the correct side of the road and had been trying to avoid a car coming towards him. Witnesses who said he was on the wrong side were ‘telling lies’.
Judge Michael O’Shea jailed Ward for six years for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm with the last two years suspended and for five months for no insurance. He also disqualified him for ten years and endorsed his licence.