Jennifer Thomas Cork had 12 drinks before crash which killed friend

A 46-year-old former model has admitted to dangerous driving that resulted in the death of Sheila Dunne, a mother of two, following a crash in Glanmire, Co Cork, on February 11, 2023. Jennifer Thomas, from Oakfield View, Glanmire, was found to have consumed 12 alcoholic drinks, including cocktails, prosecco, wine, and gin, before the accident.

Sheila Dunne, aged 50, was a special needs assistant and was just 1.5 kilometers from her home when the crash occurred. Her daughter described her mother as an “amazing woman” who had a significant impact on their community. Tragically, Sheila’s husband, Ted, had passed away from Covid-19 two years prior.

Thomas and Dunne had spent the day together, enjoying meals and drinks at various locations before getting into Thomas’s jeep. In the moments leading up to the crash, Thomas fell asleep at the wheel twice while stopped at traffic lights. A passer-by had to knock on the window to alert her. Thomas then made two U-turns and drove on the wrong side of the road before hitting traffic cones and narrowly avoiding pedestrians. Eventually, she failed to navigate a bend in the road, and the jeep crashed into a grass verge.

The collision led to Dunne, who was in the front passenger seat, falling onto Thomas. Emergency services had to cut the roof off the vehicle to extricate them. Thomas initially claimed that Dunne had been driving, but later admitted she was the driver after reviewing CCTV footage. She also stated she had no memory of the crash, though no medical evidence supported this claim.

Dunne succumbed to her injuries two days later in the hospital. In a victim impact statement, her daughter Lilley described the profound grief of losing her mother, just as they had already endured the death of their father. She described the loss as “hell” and expressed the ongoing pain caused by Thomas’s reckless actions. Lilley also noted the lack of remorse shown by Thomas, which made the grieving process even harder.

Sheila Dunne’s mother, Esther O’Brien, spoke of the heartbreaking loss of her daughter, who had been her main support. She expressed the devastating impact this had on the family, especially on her two grandchildren, who lost their mother at a young age.

The court heard that Thomas had a history of road traffic offenses, including ten previous convictions. Her defense counsel, Tom Creed, stated that Thomas deeply regretted her actions and recognized how reckless it was to drive under the influence of alcohol.

Judge Helen Boyle expressed condolences to the Dunne family and reserved her judgment. Sentencing will take place on Thursday, and Thomas was remanded in custody. Additional charges against her will be dealt with in the district court.