Former model jailed over drink-driving crash which killed her friend

A former model has been jailed for four years for dangerous driving causing the death of her friend after she consumed 12 alcoholic drinks in the hours before she lost control of her vehicle and crashed.

Jennifer Thomas (46), of Oakfield View, Glanmire, Co Cork, was also banned from driving for 10 years.

At a sentencing hearing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday, Judge Helen Boyle said Ms Thomas was “overcome with remorse” that her sustained poor driving had led her jeep to mount a ditch in Glanmire in Cork on February 11th this year.

The single-vehicle crash caused the subsequent death of her friend Sheila Dunne, who was a passenger in the SUV.

Judge Boyle said no sentence could bring justice for the family of Ms Dunne following the “devastating loss” of a much loved mother, daughter, cousin, sister and friend.

The judge praised Lilley Dunne, the 23-year-old daughter, for her bravery in delivering her victim impact statement herself.

She also commended her for the level of responsibility she had shown in taking on the care of her younger brother TJ, who has autism and is non verbal now that he has lost both parents. Sheila Dunne was predeceased by her husband Ted in 2021.

Judge Boyle said “sustained poor driving” led Ms Thomas to mount a ditch at Sarsfield Court in Glanmire in Cork on February 11th.

Judge Boyle noted that Ms Thomas had fallen asleep behind the wheel twice while stopped at traffic lights. When the lights turned green other motorists beeped at her jeep but she didn’t wake. They were forced to drive around her.

The judge said one person knocked on the window of the jeep telling Ms Thomas to park up. During the course of her erratic driving Ms Thomas narrowly missed hitting two pedestrians. She knocked down traffic cones, took two U-turns and drove on the wrong side of the road. The occupants of one car became so concerned about her driving that they followed her on the road.

In sentencing, Judge Boyle said she accepted Ms Thomas had experienced certain difficulties in life.

“It is clear that Ms Thomas had a difficult childhood. She has had over the years had attendances with mental health services. She suffers from both depression and anxiety and I accept she made an intentional attempt on her life in October of 2024. She has a long history of mental health difficulties.

“She understands and accepts she caused the death and has caused enormous loss to [Sheila’s] friends and family.”

In a previous hearing, Det Garda Mark Durcan told the court that Ms Thomas had consumed espresso martinis, prosecco, gin, mimosas and wine on February 11th, after going for lunch with Ms Dunne (50) in Douglas in Cork.

Det Garda Durcan said the crash occurred when Ms Thomas drove erratically around a left bend.

“[Ms Thomas] failed to straighten the vehicle, and overturned on to the driver’s side at 7.31pm. Her phone was on Bluetooth and auto-contacted emergency services by 999.”

Ms Thomas told emergency services that she was behind the wheel when they arrived at the scene of the crash at Sarsfield Court. However, she informed a garda that that Sheila, who was in the front passenger seat of the jeep, was driving as she had “more control.” This was a false assertion.

Det Garda Durcan said during Garda interviews Ms Thomas was shown CCTV footage from the night of the crash. She then accepted she was driving. She said she had no recollection of the incident due to concussion. However, she was found not to have concussion.

During the course of the evidence it emerged that Ms Dunne, an special needs assistant who was just 1.2km from her Glanmire home when the crash occurred, had lost her husband to Covid-19 in February 2021.

Lilley Dunne made a victim impact statement on behalf of herself and her brother whom she now cares for following the loss of both their parents. She said her mother always referred to TJ as “the best boy in the world”.

“He (TJ) is struggling to understand why she is no longer with us. It breaks my heart in to even more pieces when he says ‘I want Mommy please’ and I will never be able to make that better for him.

“When he is upset, I remind him that Mommy is with Daddy and they are ‘Up in the Sky.” It is impossible to gauge the extent of the trauma he has endured from this.”

Lilley said she and her brother had already suffered the “unbearable” loss of their father Ted.

“Now to experience the agonising loss of Mom, feels like a cruel twist of fate that I cannot comprehend.

“On February 9th, 2021, my dad died unexpectedly from Covid. We had to watch him take his last few breaths as they removed his ventilator, and then on February 13th, 2024, I had to watch this all over again – watch my Mom’s heart slow to a halt.

“This experience is what I can only describe as hell. My beautiful Mom was taken from us far too soon at the young age of 50. In a car crash caused by a reckless decision made by a selfish individual. This choice has altered our lives forever.

“We spent two days at my mom’s bedside hoping for a miracle. Out of respect, I made the decision to allow Jennifer to come in to say goodbye to my Mom. Knowing what I know now my decision would have been different.”

Ms Dunne said Jennifer’s absence of remorse had made the “grieving process so much more challenging.”

“It is incredibly painful to know that someone who withhold the truth in such a devastating way and it makes it harder to heal from this loss.”

Ms Dunne said the life of her mother was “robbed” from her.

“She has only started to live her life again after Dad’s passing. She will never get the opportunity to finish her bucket list, to see out the drams she had for her future or to watch TJ and I grow up.”

Sheila’s mother, Esther O’Brien said she was “heartbroken” to have lost her daughter to a drunk driver.

“This loss has not only shattered my life but has also left two precious grandchildren without their mother. My daughter was my biggest support. She was always there for me, providing love, care and companionship. We shared a deep bond, and she was my confidante, my source of strength.

“Losing her has taken away my main support system at a time in my life when I need it most.

“This is something no mother could anticipate. I grapple with anger and sadness — not just for my daughter but also for the reckless choice that led to this loss. It is hard to trust and feel safe in the world when someone’s selfish decision has had such devastating consequences.

“My daughter was not only my child but my life source. Her absence has changed everything for me and for my grandchildren. Only for them life is not worth living. I will carry this pain with me for the rest of my life.”

The court heard that Ms Thomas had previous convictions for road traffic offences and larceny.

Her defence counsel, Tom Creed SC, emphasised that witnesses who arrived at the scene of the crash described Ms Thomas as being upset and concerned about Sheila.

He said unfortunately following this accident all sorts of “unfounded allegations” circulated in Cork.

“One was that a phone call was made for someone to come to scene to move bodies. One was that she [Ms Thomas] was arrested for a charge of perverting course of justice, which was never case. She voluntarily came to the station.”

Following the sentencing hearing, Lilley Dunne urged motorists not to drink and drive.

“Drunk driving is a choice. A choice that ruins lives. Accountability is everything. I carry a life sentence of loss, love and shattered lives. What happened to my Mom was senseless and preventable and it haunts me every day.”