By David Forsythe
THE jury in the trial of man accused of causing the death by dangerous driving of well-known GAA commentator Paudie Palmer has returned a unanimous guilty verdict.
Bohdan Bezverkhyi, 33, of Rigsdale House, Rigsdale, Ballinhassing faced one charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Palmer at Dunkereen Cross, Innishannon, on December 29th, 2022.
Following five days of evidence at Cork Circuit Criminal Court the jury of seven women and five men were charged by Judge Jonathan Dunphy on Wednesday morning to consider their verdict. At 4pm the jury requested a copy of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 and requested a clear definition of what constitutes dangerous driving under the law.
The jury were sent home at 4pm on Wednesday and returned to court at 10.30am on Thursday morning to continue their deliberations. After just under six hours of deliberation the jury came to a unanimous decision and the verdict was read to the court at 2pm.
Judge Dunphy thanked the jury for their attention to detail during the trial and remanded Bohdan Bezverkhyi in custody to appear again on Thursday May 2nd for sentencing.
Members of Mr Palmer’s family will also be given the opportunity to read victim impact statements to the court at the sentencing hearing.
Mr Bezverkhyi declined the court’s offer of a probation report stating, through a Russian interpreter, that he did not have any addiction issues that needed to be addressed.
