A MOTORIST who collided with a cyclist outside Clonakilty said the sun had blinded him and he mistakenly turned on his wipers and didn’t see a cyclist ahead of him, a court heard.

Patrick Hallissey (26) of Monavaddra, Inchigeelagh pleaded guilty at Clonakilty District Court to careless driving.

Sgt Tom Mulcahy told the court that at 6pm on March 16th last gardaí in Clonakilty received a report of a collision involving a car and a bike on the N71 at Ballyduvane, Clonakilty.

‘On arrival Gda Finnegan saw a BMW pulled into the side of the road which had significant damage to the front side and observed a male lying on the road in from the car,’ said Sgt Mulcahy.

‘The injured man had severe lacerations to his head while his bike was found in front of the car. He had been cycling along the N71 and the accused was driving behind him in the same direction towards Rosscarbery.’

The court heard that Mr Hallissey told gardaí that the sun blinded him and he mistakenly put on his windscreen wipers.

‘His vision was gone and he didn’t see the cyclist and rear ended his bike,’ said Sgt Mulcahy.

Sgt Mulcahy added that the accused went to the cyclist’s assistance immediately and rang emergency services.

The cyclist was taken to CUH and received plastic surgery for lacerations to his head while Mr Hallissey was attended at the scene for shock.

The court heard that he passed a roadside breath test and has no previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Patrick Goold said his client works full-time in a local garage and that the sun got in his eyes while driving.

‘He wasn’t travelling very fast and the injured party did not have a helmet or lights,’ said Mr Goold.

However, Judge Joanne Carroll said the issue of lights on the bike is ‘neither here nor there.’

Mr Goold said his client’s insurance company accepted full liability and there was no aggravating factors and he fully cooperated with gardaí.

‘The injured party also said he doesn’t want anything to happen to Mr Hallissey.’

Judge Carroll said she had read the victim impact statement and noted that he has been clearly adversed by the accident.

She did say that Mr Hallissey behaved ‘very honourably’ and went to the aid of the cyclist and rang for an ambulance.

‘It was driver error and these things happen,’ said the judge who convicted and fined him €300 for careless driving.