Laois woman convicted of a hit-and-run after smashing into car outside shopping centre

A 47-YEAR-old motorist lost her case when she fully contested hit and run charges, after she damaged a car in a car park at a local shopping centre.

Ashling Ruane, Apartment 3 Barrow Mews, Portarlington denied failing to remain at the scene of an accident, failing to report an accident, failing to stop at an accident and failing to give appropriate information at the Kyle Shopping Centre Car Park, Kylekiproe, Portlaoise on 19 July last year.

Lorraine Keane told the court that she had been shopping for about half-an-hour in the shopping centre at the time. When she returned to her car, she found it had been damaged, with scratches along the side.

Ms Keane said she returned to the shopping centre to enquire if the car park CCTV coverage had recorded what happened. When she returned to her car again, she found a note saying that another person witnessed the incident, took a photo of the offending car’s registration and left her contact details.

Ms Ruane’s barrister Anne Doyle asked Ms Keane if there were engineer or technical reports available in court to show the alleged damage that was caused to her car, to which she replied there were not.

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said there was €3,500 worth of damage caused to Ms Keane’s BMW and she was reimbursed from Ms Ruane’s firm of insurers.

The woman who witnessed the incident, Claire Maher, said she was in the car park and heard a bang. She looked around and saw a light blue Opel Corsa, reversing from a parking space beside the BMW.

She approached the driver and asked if she was aware that she had struck the car. The defendant replied “No” and drove off. She took a photograph of the registration and left a note with her details on Ms Keane’s car.

Ms Maher said: “I didn’t see it hit the car, but I heard the bang.” Ms Ruane’s barrister said: “So, you never actually saw my client hit the car. That bang you heard could have come from anywhere else in the car park and you never saw who hit the car.” Garda Alyssa O’Sullivan gave evidence that she took a statement from Ms Keane and offered Ms Ruane the opportunity to make a voluntary statement, but she told her: “I didn’t see it. I didn’t hit the car. Can we sort it through our insurances?” Gda O’Sullivan said Ms Ruane’s car was seized and a technical examination was carried out. Both cars were examined and both had scratches.

Asked by Ms Doyle whether CCTV footage was harvested, Gda O’Sullivan replied: “There was CCTV but it was corrupt. I observed the CCTV and it was obvious the Corsa did reverse out of the parking space.” Ms Doyle said: “Looking at the totality of the evidence presented, there are a number of holes in it. There’s an absence of CCTV footage, an absence of a technical report and a lack of evidence to link my client to the alleged incident.” Sgt Kirby said that, despite a lack of CCTV footage or technical reports, an independent witness stated on oath what she observed on the day. He said that Ms Ruane had “technically” admitted to the offences when she told Gda O’Sullivan to let the insurance companies sort it out.

Taking the stand, Ms Ruane said: “I saw nothing. I didn’t hear anything. My windows were up. If I had, I would have left a note, but I heard nothing or saw anything.” She said: “A lady ran up to me and said that I had crashed into a car. I told her to take a picture of my registration. I didn’t see it. If I had done it, I wouldn’t have driven off. I have insurance and that’s what they’re for. Every scratch that was on my car was there when I got it and I got it cheap for €1,400.” Sgt. Kirby said that, in her evidence earlier, Ms Ruane admitted that she saw nothing and had the car windows up, to which Ms Ruane said: “I put my contact lenses in earlier that morning and might have got a bit of make-up on them.” She also said that she was wearing contact lenses for the first time and was trying them out for the second day.

Sgt Kirby said: “I’m putting it to you that you were half-blind on the day, the windows were up, you were distracted talking to your passenger and you scraped off the BMW. You drove away and left the scene of an accident.” Ms Ruane again said: “If I had seen it, I would have left a note. I slowed down to let the lady take the picture of my car.” Judge Cody asked Ms Ruane why she hadn’t looked to see if there was damage when Ms Maher spoke with her.

The defendant replied: “It was my first year on insurance. It wasn’t going to make much of a difference to my premium.” Judge Cody said he was satisfied with the state’s evidence and witnesses and would convict Ms Ruane on two charges - failing to stop and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

The court was told that the defendant had five previous convictions that included driving without insurance, drug driving and driving without a valid NCT. She had received a four-year driving disqualification in 2020.

Noting the date the disqualification was imposed, Judge Cody said: “This incident happened in 2024. You must have got your driving licence back early. You came into court and said you had learned your lesson and got your licence back early.” The judge imposed a €250 fine and a two-year driving ban. Recognisance was fixed in the event that Ms Ruane wishes to lodge an appeal.