Courts / Dublin / Report
Driver with sight condition found guilty of causing death of elderly pedestrian
Summary
David Byrne, a 42‑year‑old postman from Kilcullen, was found guilty of dangerous driving causing the death of 70‑year‑old Patricia Dunne on 16 October 2015. Byrne had pleaded not guilty to the dangerous driving charge and to other counts, including dishonestly inducing the National Driving Licence Service to issue a licence and making a false statement on an insurance application. The jury, after three and a half hours of deliberation, returned a majority verdict on the dangerous driving charge and unanimous guilty verdicts on the remaining counts. Judge Patricia Ryan remanded Byrne on continuing bail and set sentencing for 4 May. Byrne's case involved his Usher Syndrome Type 2, a condition that impairs vision in low light and peripheral vision, and the prosecution argued that he had been advised not to drive since 1997.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Driver with sight condition found guilty of causing death of elderly pedestrian. Charges or matters: dangerous driving causing the death of Patricia Dunne (70) at Collins Avenue East, Killester in Dublin on October 16, 2015; dishonestly inducing the National Driving Licence Service (NDLS) to issue him with a driving licence on September 30, 2014. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- October 16, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 30, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 16, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
- May 4 Adjournment
- December 1997 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 2012 Incident
- 2018-03-13 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: dangerous driving causing the death of Patricia Dunne (70) at Collins Avenue East, Killester in Dublin on October 16, 2015; dishonestly inducing the National Driving Licence Service (NDLS) to issue him with a driving licence on September 30, 2014 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: Judge Patricia Ryan remanded Byrne on continuing bail and adjourned sentencing to May 4, next.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Collins Avenue
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Ear Hospital
Topics
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