Woman accused of fleeing scene of serious accident fails in bid to vary bail to file tax return in Germany

By Francis Carroll, The Drogheda Independent

A 38-year-old woman accused of intending to pervert the course of justice following an alleged hit and run in which a cyclist was seriously injured has failed in a bid to vary her bail conditions to travel to Germany to make tax returns.

Gagandeep Kaur, Adamstown, Dunleer, Co. Louth at the time, is charged with, on a day between January 6, 2025 and January 9, 2025, with intent to pervert the course of public justice in the aftermath of a road traffic collision was actively involved in the moving of a Mercedes Benz from the location of the accident at the R132 at Mooretown, Dromiskin, Co. Louth, and attempted to have the vehicle repaired destroying evidence of the collision on January 6, with a male cyclist causing him serious injury.

Ms Kaur is further accused of, on January 6 last, at Mooretown, Dromiskin, being the driver of a vehicle which was involved in the occurrence of injury to a male did fail to stop with intent to escape civil or criminal liability and knowing that injury had been caused to the man of such nature as to require medical assistance or that he be brought to a hospital for medical assistance.

A third charge on the book of evidence, alleges dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to the cyclist.

Conditions of bail include that the defendant surrenders her passport, and at Dundalk Circuit Court on Monday she applied to vary the bail to travel to Germany for a few days at the end of this month and start of December to file tax returns which she said had to be done in person.

In a contested application, Gda Conor Hegarty said it will be alleged that a collision occurred between Ms Kaur and an e-cyclist who suffered a traumatic head injury as well as other serious injuries, and that her car left the scene.

He had received no documentation that the applicant has to go to Germany in person. It could be done online.

Cross-examined by barrister Donough McDonough, Gda Hegarty said that the accused was arrested on January 9 last and there had been no issues with bail to date. She had co-operated fully.

Her daughter was born in 2023 and it was accepted that she has roots in this country.

Gagandeep Kaur gave evidence that she studied in Ireland at DCU between 2008 and 2010 before doing a Masters in London.

She worked in Germany for 10 years and then moved to Ireland, and has been in a new relationship since September 2024.

She now resides in Glenwood, Dublin Road, Dundalk, and while she lost her job following the incident, has started a new post as a project manager on a two-year contract until February 2027.

Ms Kaur continued that she would be happy to give Gardaí her daughter’s passport. The child attends a creche in Dundalk.

She wanted to travel purely for the tax returns. She has to do it in person given that she left Germany and no longer has a postal address there. She can’t do it online.

It was not her intention to ever leave Ireland. She did not have flights booked yet.

She had email exchanges on her phone with her tax consultant and the city office in Germany.

In reply to barrister Miska Hanahoe, for the State, Ms Kaur said that she owns an apartment in Germany which is rented out.

She had made no tax returns there since 2021. She wanted to make a tax declaration “to hopefully get some financial advantage”.

She added she moved to Ireland for good in 2023.

Judge Dara Hayes remarked that it was not at all clear what the necessity was. Her income was in this country. There were no tax issues at this point in Germany.

It was also unclear as to why her attendance in person in Germany was required at this point in time. No tax returns had been made in a number of years.

Judge Hayes refused the application.

Ms Kaur was remanded on the same bail terms to January 12 for mention.