Courts / Waterford / Report

Father Ned: Priest cycling 'day and night to take care of his flock' after driving ban, court hears

Date
2023-05-25

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Dungarvan

Summary

The Court of Appeal has reduced the driving disqualification imposed on Father Ned Hassett from two years to 18 months. Fr Hassett, a 53-year-old parish priest in Dungarvan, Waterford, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to careless driving causing serious harm. The offence stemmed from a crash on the N25 on April 30, 2021, where he allegedly failed to see motorcyclist Bobby Bohill, who was participating in a charity event. Mr Bohill suffered a broken femur and a traumatic brain injury, described by counsel as life-changing, though he has since made a good recovery. At the original sentencing in the Circuit Criminal Court, Fr Hassett was disqualified for two years and fined €250. During the appeal, his lawyer highlighted that he had already served 15 months of the ban, forcing him to cycle around his rural parish to attend to his flock. Mr Justice George Birmingham acknowledged the offence's seriousness but noted Fr Hassett's impeccable previous character and incident-free driving history. The judge also referenced a recent Court of Appeal ruling establishing that disqualification periods are discretionary rather than mandatory minimums. Consequently, the court agreed to reduce the disqualification period to 18 months, effectively shortening the remaining ban.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Father Ned: Priest cycling 'day and night to take care of his flock' after driving ban, court hears. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

April 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
November 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
April 30, 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
2023-05-25 Publication

Why: Mr Justice Birmingham explained that there had been a belief that certain types of careless driving cases carried a mandatory minimum period of disqualification. CNI source report