A building contractor with ‘a chequered history’ was banned from driving for three months and fined €1,500 for a hit-and-run incident near Dunmanway last year.
Conor Walsh, of Shiplake, Dunmanway, pleaded guilty at Clonakilty District Court to careless driving and failing to report an incident.
The court heard that at around 10.30pm on July 18th last, gardaí attended the scene of a two-car collision on the R585 near Togher, Dunmanway.
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The accused had driven from a side road on to the R585 and collided with another car, which had extensive damage.
‘Following the collision Mr Walsh left the scene and walked away,’ said Insp Triona O’Mahony, adding that neither driver had any serious injuries.
Gardaí made inquiries after the crash and spoke to the accused who said he had a panic attack and left the scene.
The court heard that he has nine previous convictions, most recently from Bandon District Court on May 31st 2022 for trespassing.
The other convictions included public order offences, criminal damage, and drink driving.
Defence solicitor Éamonn Fleming said: ‘He has a chequered history and works as a building contractor, has his own business employing six people,’ said Mr Fleming.
Insp O’Mahony said the other driver had left the scene to locate a man walking along the road in the dark without a reflective vest and then returned to the scene whereas Mr Walsh had returned later.
Mr Fleming asked the judge not to ban his client from driving, saying he lived in a rural location without public transport.
He added Mr Walsh would lose his livelihood if disqualified.
‘He tells me he looked left and right before the collision but should have looked right again,’ said Mr Fleming.
Judge Andrew Cody convicted and fined him €750, and disqualified him from driving for three months for careless driving.
He also convicted and fined him a further €750 for failing to report an occurrence.
Recognisances in the event of an appeal were fixed at €500 in his own bond with €250 of that to provided in cash.
Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.
