Laois man’s car crushed friend’s leg in car park
Carlow courthouse Photo: Michael O'Rourke
A 20-YEAR-OLD Laois man is to be sentenced on 22 July at Carlow District Court for crashing into his friend’s leg in a car park in Graiguecullen last August. The court heard how on 17 August 2025 at 3.30pm, Colin Finn crashed into his friend Oisin Kelly’s leg and broke it by crushing it between his car and a low bollard.
Mr Finn of Coolanagh, Ballickmoyler, Co Laois pleaded guilty to one count of careless driving.
On that day, Mr Finn was in the car with his girlfriend and three other friends, which included two cousins of Mr Kelly. Mr Finn was driving down a street in Graiguecullen when he spotted Mr Kelly and another friend walking into the car park, so followed them to speak with him. Upon entering the car park, he put his car into neutral and it revved and made a noise as it had been modified; the revving is audible on CCTV footage which captured the incident.
The car was coasting at about five kilometres an hour when Mr Finn accidentally crashed into Mr Kelly’s leg. Mr Finn had not spotted a low bollard and accidentally pushed Mr Kelly up against it, which caused serious injury to his leg, resulting in him being hospitalised.
Judge Geraldine Carthy asked if there was any suggestion that Mr Finn intentionally crashed into Mr Kelly and the prosecution and defence both said that there was not.
Chris Hogan, Mr Finn’s defence solicitor, said that Mr Finn has no previous convictions. He said that his client had immediately told his insurance company about the incident and that the insurance had accepted responsibility for it but had penalised his client by increasing his insurance to €2,800 a year.
He went on to say that his client is in full-time employment as a groundskeeper in Wicklow, which means that he has to drive there each day. Mr Finn plans to enter the Irish Defence Forces, has no points on his licence and is anxious to have this matter finalised.
Mr Hogan argued that his client should get credit for entering a plea and having a clean licence.
Judge Carthy said that to decide a sentence in this case she needed to see the CCTV footage herself.
Mr Hogan pushed for the case to be ruled on straightaway, saying: “To say the CCTV is grainy is an understatement. It would not be of any help in determining the outcome.” However, Judge Carthy went ahead with the adjournment and put the case back for sentencing to 22 July.
