Muiris Flynn fined €20,000 after appeal over dangerous driving sentence
This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.
The Court of Appeal imposed a €20,000 fine on Muiris Flynn and suspended the unserved balance of a new three-year prison sentence after finding his original sentence unduly lenient. The appeal judgment was delivered on 30 October 2020.
Flynn pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, drink driving and driving without insurance. The proceedings were reported on 30 October 2020.
On 24 September 2017, Flynn lost control of his car and collided with two cyclists near Doon, Boyle, Co Roscommon. Catherine Carey suffered spinal fractures and other injuries, while Áine O’Connor suffered significant pelvic fractures and other injuries. Both were left with life-changing injuries.
The sentencing hearing heard that Flynn apologised and admitted drinking. He was found to have almost four times the legal alcohol limit in his system. His insurance covered a car he no longer owned and was invalid at the time.
At Roscommon Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford imposed four years for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, suspending the final two and a half years, and disqualified Flynn from driving for eight years. For drink driving, he imposed a concurrent four-month sentence and a three-year disqualification. A concurrent three-year disqualification was imposed for driving without insurance.
Justice John Edwards, sitting with Justice Patrick McCarthy and Justice Aileen Donnelly, nominated a six-year headline sentence and reduced it to three years after mitigation. The court suspended the unserved balance and re-imposed the driving disqualifications. It considered Flynn’s temporary release, his subsequent employment and conduct, and heard that his offer of €12,000 compensation had been declined.
Justice Edwards said the fine should be paid by 31 December. The court was told Flynn could pay it with a family loan, repaid from his wages over about three years.