Declan Enright will spend two months behind bars after drunken power pole smash
An Irish man who spent 10 hours on the drink before getting in his car and smashing into a power pole, seriously injuring his girlfriend, has run out of luck.
South East
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An unlicensed Irish man who spent 10 hours on the drink before a heated argument caused him to flee a venue with his ex-partner before crashing his car into a power pole has been jailed.
Declan Enright, 34, pleaded guilty at Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on May 11 to multiple charges, including driving without a licence and without L-plates, driving under the influence of alcohol, failing to report a motor vehicle accident and for dangerous driving.
The court heard Enright had been out drinking with ex in September last year before he got into an altercation with another patron.
Enright, who only had his L-plates then got into his car with his ex and began driving through Oakleigh at an estimated 60km/h to 80km/h.
Enright’s ex gave evidence saying he was driving “as fast as he could”.
The court heard Enright’s ex told him to slow down and put his seatbelt on, before he punched her twice, then lost control of the car and smashed into a power pole.
The court heard Enright’s ex suffered serious injuries in the crash, including a broken collarbone, broken sternum, two broken ribs and a fractured wrist.
Despite her injuries, Enright screamed at his ex to run away with him, leave the vehicle where it was and say it had been stolen, before leaving the scene of the accident.
Police picked him up a short time later and took him to Moorabbin police station for an interview, the court was told.
The court heard Enright refused to undertake a preliminary breath test at the police station, and five days later fled to Ireland.
Magistrate Stephen Lee sentenced Enright on Thursday.
“I have to look at the gravity of your offending here,” Mr Lee said.
“You smashed into a power pole and your partner sustained serious injuries, but your first instinct was not to assist her, but to cover up your offending.”
Mr Lee told the court Enright completely disregarded his moral and legal obligations on the night of the accident.
“Your obligation was to stay behind, to call an ambulance and assist police with their inquiries,” he said.
“You did none of that. You failed these moral and legal obligations that night.”
Mr Lee characterised Enright’s offending as “extraordinarily foolish and reprehensible.”
“You jeopardised your safety, the safety of those around, and the safety of your passenger,” Mr Lee said.
“You never had a licence, so you were an inexperienced driver. You had no seatbelt on. You were aggressive and belligerent with police repeatedly and throughout the night. You tried to cover up your actions.”
“That night, your moral compass was adrift.”
Mr Lee conceded that Enright’s decision to return to Ireland shortly after the accident was not aggravating.
“You were without a home and you wanted to get help and support for your alcohol issue, I will be taking the view that this isn’t an aggravating factor,” he said.
“You’re very remorseful, you’re sorry for what’s occurred. It’s clear you feel shame for what you’ve done.”
Mr Lee sentenced Enright to two months behind bars for dangerous driving, and one month in prison for not reporting the accident.
The sentence is to be served concurrently, meaning Enright will spend two months in jail
Enright was also fined $200 with conviction for not showing his L-plates, and will undertake a community corrections order for alcohol treatment and a safe drivers program.
He was also disqualified from driving for two years for refusing to undertake a breath test.
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