Family of Limerick road victim ask that driver not receive custodial sentence

A GERMAN lecturer who survived World War II, moved to Ireland and taught for fifty years at the Shannon College of Hotel Management died six months after a road traffic collision.

Kevin Meade, aged 29, of The Cross, Knocklong pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious bodily harm to Hans Schmid, aged 87, of Mayorstone, on July 18, 2016.

Limerick Circuit Court heard that Mr Meade suffered a diabetic attack prior to the collision outside the Top filling station in Raheen.

In a victim impact statement, which was read to the court, the Schmid family, asked that Mr Meade not receive a custodial sentence as it is not what their father would have wished.

In outlining the case, John O’Sullivan BL, prosecuting, said Mr Meade was driving a Ford Focus towards Limerick city at 8.33am; Mr Schmid was going in the opposite direction in his Toyota Corolla. He was on his way to an NCT test.

Mr O’Sullivan said the car being driven by Mr Meade went “out of control” and crossed to the wrong side of the road.

“Mr Schmid saw the car coming against him and stopped. Mr Schmid was driven across the road into a tree. Mr Schmid did everything he possibly could to avoid a collision,” said Mr O’Sullivan.

Prior to the collision, Mr Meade’s car was seen hitting a kerb, a railing and driving on a footpath. The speed Mr Meade’s vehicle was travelling at was estimated at between 36 and 42kmph. The speed limit is 50kmph on that stretch.

The investigating garda, Josephine Falvey, who attended the scene said Mr Meade was staring straight ahead in a “trance”.

Mr O’Sullivan said paramedics treated him for a hypoglycemic attack (blood glucose falling below normal to a potentially dangerous level).

Mr Schmid suffered very severe spinal injuries - fractures to C4 /C5 and neurological deficit. Prior to the collision he was in “perfect health”.

“He did not recover from his injuries. He was rendered immobile. He was cared for in a nursing home. He died six months later,” said Mr O’Sullivan.

Tributes paid to respected Shannon lecturer Hans Schmid

Swiss national was also former general manager at Dromoland Castle

Garda Falvey read out the interview which was conducted with Mr Meade in the months after the collision. He said he was going to his place of work on the Dock Road.

That morning, Mr Meade said he checked his blood with a finger prick, injected himself, ate weetabix and a banana and had a coffee with sugar.

“I got no warning signs. My last memory is on the Ballysimon Road. It’s scary. It’s horrible for that poor man’s family,” Mr Meade told gardai.

The court heard he has a number of previous convictions including theft, criminal damage, burglary and drink driving.

Mr O’Sullivan read out the victim impact statement from the Schmid family, who thanked the ambulance service, UHL, National Rehabilitation Hospital, Millbrae Lodge Nursing home and the court. They said it was “not possible to put into words” the consequences of the collision as their “world turned upside down”.

They said their father was never afraid of hard work.

“In 1939, he returned from college to the family farm which was empty and walked to Switzerland where he worked in a hotel. He survived the war and in 1951 went to Shannon to learn English. In the first two weeks he met Vera and never left. They were together for 65 years,” read the statement. The couple had four children.

Mr Schmid lectured in the Shannon College of Hotel Management for 50 years where he was a “legend” among students and colleagues. In the early years he helped build the Shannon Airport Golf Course by hand. Golf remained one of his hobbies along with swimming, gardening and cooking.

The victim impact statement said it was “heartbreaking” to see him “age overnight, often miserable and see his bright light dimmed”.

“He suffered physically and psychologically. He survived a World War and to see his final years taken away from him…” read out Mr O’Sullivan.

The statement said the court case would “finally allow closure”. Mr Schmid’s family said they did not want a custodial sentence imposed as it is not what their father would have wished.

“He was a gentleman - a compassionate and caring man,” concluded the victim impact statement read out by Mr O’Sullivan.

Andrew Sexton BL, defending, said the Schmid family was very charitable to Mr Meade.

“He wishes to accept responsibility and apologise to the family unreservedly,” said Mr Sexton. He said his client is a diabetic and suffered a hypoglycemic attack.

“The garda spoke of him being in a trance and paramedics gave him an injection as they were concerned he would die. He went to the scene directly after the hospital and was in tears. There was no speed, he was going to work on a Monday morning. It is a most tragic, unfortunate outcome,” said Mr Sexton. Regarding his client’s previous convictions, the barrister said they occurred when he was 18/19 and taking drugs.

Mr Sexton said he is living a “completely different life” and handed in a letter from his employer. The barrister said Mr Meade has not driven since the accident.

Judge Tom O’Donnell said it was an “extremely tragic accident” and a case of “wrong place, wrong time”.

He said Mr Schmid was an “extraordinary man who lived an extraordinary life tragically cut short”.

“You should be extremely proud of the late Mr Schmid,” said Judge O’Donnell to his family. In expressing his condolence, the judge described the victim impact statement as one of the “most stunning I have read in my years”.

Judge O’Donnell imposed a 12 month suspended sentence and a four year driving disqualification on Mr Meade.