Martin Kearney loses appeal over dangerous driving ban

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Martin Kearney lost a Court of Appeal challenge seeking restoration of his driving licence after a dangerous driving causing serious harm conviction. The proceedings were reported on 11 February 2022.

Kearney was jailed for four years in 2012 by Judge Anthony Hunt at Sligo Circuit Court after admitting dangerous driving causing serious harm to Lydia Branley. He was also banned from driving for 20 years, before an appeal reduced the ban to 12 years in December 2014.

His later application to restore his licence was rejected by Judge Francis Comerford at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court. Kearney’s barrister Liam Dockery BL argued that the refusal was legally wrong and that the ban was punitive, while Leo Mulrooney BL for the Director of Public Prosecutions defended the refusal. Mr Justice John Edwards said the Court of Appeal rejected the application.