Wreck: Ronan Norton rammed this car belonging to a neighbour, believing it to be driven by burglars

A father of two who drank up to seven pints and six brandies before getting behind the wheel of a friend's SUV and ramming another car at high speed has been jailed.

The court also heard athlete Michelle McGee - an elite runner who represented Ireland at European competitions - had to forego her promising career due to injuries she sustained when Ronan Norton repeatedly rear-ended the vehicle she was travelling in.

Norton, with an address at Derryharrow, Co Longford, was sentenced by Judge Keenan Johnson to two-and-a-half years in jail when he appeared before Longford Circuit Court yesterday.

Last October, Norton, a master farrier who previously worked with champion trainer Aidan O'Brien, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage and endangerment at Esker, Ballinalee, Co Longford, on December 31, 2016.

The court heard Stephen Reilly, the driver of a VW Passat, had been dropping his girlfriend Ms McGee home when they were suddenly rear-ended by Norton.

Burglars

It was revealed Norton had been drinking with another man on the night, when about 11pm the pair decided to go and get more drink from a local pub.

After consuming up to seven pints and another six brandies earlier in the day, Norton decided to get into his friend's Honda SUV.

Along their journey, Norton spotted Mr Reilly's car and mistakenly believed it contained burglars.

The court was told how Norton's house had been broken into some years earlier, causing him to wrongly believe the car driven by Mr Reilly may have been in some way connected.

The court was told that in the moments that followed, Norton pursued Mr Reilly's car at high speed before going on to ram his VW Passat on at least six occasions.

Both Ms McGee and Mr Reilly sustained significant injuries as a result, with Ms McGee receiving a fracture to her ankle and sternum.

The court heard elite runner Ms McGee had been forced to forego her burgeoning career and remained in pain on a daily basis.

In her victim impact statement, Ms McGee described the offence as a "horrific nightmare" and how she thought she was "100pc going to die".

In mitigation, Norton expressed remorse, adding he regretted his actions every day.

It was also revealed by the defendant's partner, Thelma Fanning, that she and the couple's two children risked losing the family home if Norton got a custodial sentence.

In delivering his sentence, Judge Keenan Johnston said Norton's nature of driving, violence and decision to flee the scene on foot on the night, effectively abandoning his victims, were aggravating factors in the case.

Risk

He said Norton's guilty plea, albeit a late one, did have the effect of saving his victims the ordeal of having to give evidence before a full jury trial.

A probation report, which indicated Norton was at low risk of reoffending, also had to be factored in, he said.

Judge Johnston consequently sentenced Norton to five years in prison for endangerment, suspending the final two-and-a-half years for a period of five years.

The sentence was backdated to January 22, the date Norton first went into custody.

Irish Independent