Widower says surprising three-word sentence to nan who killed wife in car crash

15 February 2024 , 17:47

813     0

Julie Parkin accidentally ran down and killed an elderly woman at a pedestrian crossing (Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

The husband of a woman who died after being hit by a car has told the driver: “I forgive you.”

A court heard Julie Parkin, 58, hit pedestrian Patricia Dermody, 75, after being distracted by one of her grandchildren singing in her car. She admitted causing death by careless driving and faced up to nine months in jail. But at a magistrates' court she was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, after Mrs Dermody's widower Terence said the family held no malice towards her, knowing she would have to live with what she had done.

In court Parkin, a voluntary church worker, turned to the victim's family sitting in the public gallery and said: "I am so sorry", to which Mr Dermody replied: "I forgive you."

Julie, 58, said she was 'distracted' by one of her grandchildren singing in her car (Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

At a magistrates' court she was sentenced to six months in prison (Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

The accident happened in Ashton-Under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, in December 2021, as Mrs Dermody, herself a grandmother, was on a Christmas shopping trip with her husband. She suffered traumatic injuries after being hit by Parkin’s black Mercedes CLK and died ten days later in hospital after contracting pneumonia.

Tameside magistrates’ court heard Parkin was taking her grandchildren, aged 10 and six, to McDonald’s when she was distracted by one of youngsters as they sang along to music and collided with mum of two Mrs Dermody. Andrew Hey, prosecuting said the driver had stopped at a red traffic light and Mrs Dermody started to cross the road.

Man in 30s dies after being stabbed in park sparking police probe

Julie told the family of 75-year-old victim Patricia Dermody that she was 'so sorry' (Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

The victim's widowed husband told Julie 'I forgive you' (Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

He said the Mercedes then set off and hit the victim, who was still on the carriageway. Parkin stopped and waited for the police to arrive. The prosecutor added: “It is accepted the defendant had been briefly distracted by her grandchild who was restrained in the front of the vehicle."

In a statement the victim’s husband said: "We do not hold any malice towards the driver. We understand that she has to live with this just like we have to." Her defence solicitor Mohamed Patel said: "Mrs Parkin says that the children were in the car singing away and enjoying the music when she came to the traffic lights. She was stationary at the traffic lights. The traffic lights then turned to green she then drove off and tragedy struck at that time. It is a moment in time that will always remain with her, when sadly the collision occurred.

"Mrs Parkin says that when the accident took place she stayed there to help as much as she could. She then subsequently heard the tragic news." Sentencing her, JP Michael Crossley addressed Mr Dermody personally and said: "We would just like to thank the family for your dignified and brave stance." Parkin, from Greenfield, near Oldham, whose late husband was a magistrate, was banned from driving for two years, ordered to do 15 days of rehabilitation activity and pay £239 in costs and surcharge.

Paul Byrne