A DISTRICT court judge said that the court’s sympathy to a Beara man had ‘exhausted’ and he was lucky he wasn’t going to prison after his driving rampage in Castletownbere left one woman’s finger trapped between her car and a wall.
Judge James McNulty made the comment at Bantry District Court while dealing with the case of Turlough Connolly (29) of Reenavaude, Ardgroom, Beara, who, he said, has a ‘bad record’.
Mr Connolly pleaded guilty to six charges including careless driving, failing to stop, failing to give information about injury, failing to give information about material damage, using a car without an NCT, and having no road tax.
Sgt Trish O’Sullivan told Judge James McNulty that the incidents occurred in Castletownbere on September 6th 2022, when initially gardaí received a report of a near collision involving the defendant outside Twomey’s Bar in Castletownbere.
When a garda signalled him to stop, he refused and drove on. ‘At Bank Place they saw that a woman was injured. The owner got her finger trapped between the car and a wall of a building and he knocked her over with his car,’ said Sgt O’Sullivan.
‘Another person’s car was hit by the Black Golf he was driving, causing minor damage to their car, and he was seen walking away from the scene.’
The court heard that he has eight previous convictions including drink driving, drug possession, no insurance, criminal damage, and public order.
Defence solicitor Colette McCarthy admitted her client does appear to have ‘wracked up a lot of convictions’ since this incident and said he is ‘quite well-known’ to the court.
‘Until recent times he was contesting the charges as he had no recollection. He struck his head and couldn’t remember, but now accepts the accounts are true,’ said Ms McCarthy.
‘He is someone who has struggled and a probation report has never been prepared on him.’
Judge McNulty said he was a bit sceptical and wondered if he had taken something or was stoned at the time.
Ms McCarthy said he was fully insured, while his insurance company has paid out a personal injury claim.
Judge McNulty said Mr Connolly’s driving was very bad, causing damage and injury to others.
‘To cap it off, he didn’t hang around and left the scene,’ said the judge.
He disqualified him from driving for two years and convicted and fined him €500 on the careless driving charge. He was also convicted and fined another €500 on the other charges.
When asked if he would not disqualify Mr Connolly, the judge said that the court’s ‘sympathy is exhausted’ and that he was lucky he wasn’t going to prison for leaving people injured and damaging property.
