Courts / Galway / Report
Conviction for dangerous driving after 'truly scandalous' overtaking is upheld
Summary
Martin Feehan, 42, was convicted of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm after his Citroen Berlingo collided with on‑coming traffic during an overtaking manoeuvre on the Mallow‑to‑Cork road at Granagh on 16 February 2015. The crash left his passenger, 40‑year‑old Brid Hallihan, with a broken pelvis and months of hospital treatment. Prosecutors alleged Feehan was driving too fast and lost control when the overtaking lane merged with a slower lane, causing his vehicle to cross the carriageway. A jury found him guilty and Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin imposed a three‑year suspended sentence and a 20‑year driving ban. Feehan appealed, arguing the judge erred in law and fact, but the appeal was dismissed. The appellate court noted the judge's explanations were "plainly attempting to further explain the level of fault required to prove the charge" and rejected the claim that the judge had erred in summarising facts.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Conviction for dangerous driving after 'truly scandalous' overtaking is upheld. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- February 16, 2015 Other
- February 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2022-03-29 Publication
Why: The footage could not be downloaded because the device which had recorded the material had become "corrupted" and the images could not be "downloaded with the technology available to gardai", he observed. CNI source report
Places mentioned
- Cork
- Cork Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
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