Courts / Donegal / Report
Banned, serial offending ex-GAA star spent just nine months in prison for driving over cyclist
Summary
A 42-year-old Donegal man with 33 previous convictions, including multiple road traffic offences, appeared before the Court of Appeal on 29 April regarding his sentence for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm. Kevin McMenamin, from Letterkenny, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence and was sentenced in January 2024 to 21 months imprisonment and a five-year driving ban. The incident occurred in July 2021 when McMenamin, who was disqualified from driving at the time, broke a red light at Ballsbridge in Dublin and collided with a cyclist in her late sixties. The woman sustained severe injuries including a broken pelvis and leg trauma, requiring nearly five months of hospitalisation. McMenamin was released from open prison in October 2024 after serving nine months. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed for an increased sentence, arguing the original term was inappropriately lenient and characterising McMenamin as someone who drives with disregard for road users' safety. The court reserved judgement, with delivery scheduled for 6 May.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Banned, serial offending ex-GAA star spent just nine months in prison for driving over cyclist. Charges or matters: dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm at the junction of Herbert Park Road and Morehampton Road in Ballsbridge. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- January 19, 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 22, 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- March 2018 Incident
- May 6 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2025-04-29 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm at the junction of Herbert Park Road and Morehampton Road in Ballsbridge (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: On January 19, 2024 he was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to 21 months in prison and was disqualified from driving for five years. Oisin Clarke BL, representing McMenamin, argued the 21-month sentence did not represent an error and noted there were cases with worse aggravating features where lower or similar sentences were imposed. "One could not say that this is of such divergence that it would require this court to intervene," he said.
Places mentioned
- Letterkenny
- Donegal
- Herbert Park Road
- Herbert Park Road
Topics
Related court reports
- Court upholds former Defence Force member's conviction for raping fellow soldier
- Lawyers 'concerned' over wait for evidence 20 years on from Denis Donaldson murder
- Ex-garda seeks allowance for services to Irish-language communities
- Sliabh Liag murderers appeal convictions
- Six years for Algerian national who carried out 'violent predatory' sex attack
- 'Shame on you' - rapist refuses to accept jury verdict
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request