EVEN with his windscreen wipers on full during a torrential downpour, a driver didn’t see a motorcyclist as he turned off at the Marsh Road in Skibbereen.
That was what solicitor Colette McCarthy said in defence of her client, Ciaran O’Driscoll (50) of Ardgehane, Castletownshend, who was charged at Skibbereen District Court with careless driving.
Although it was 6.45pm on a summer’s evening, July 8th last, Ms McCarthy said the sky was dark and her client didn’t see the motorcyclist on Marsh Road.
Gda Evelyn Brosnan investigated the incident and the accused admitted that his vehicle collided with the motorcyclist.
The emergency services were called and it was reported that the motorcyclist sustained a cut to his ankle which required stitches, as well as a cut to his knee which required five stitches.
In mitigation, Ms McCarthy told Judge Treasa Kelly that her client has no previous convictions and that this was ‘a momentary lapse of concentration’.
‘It was a dirty day and his wipers were on full,’ she added. ‘He can’t say why he didn’t see the motorcyclist, but he has been driving for more than 20 years and has never been involved in an incident.’
Judge Kelly accepted that this was a momentary lapse and she dealt with the careless driving charge by way of a €300 fine.
