Motorist who rear-ended a car in Laois is put off the roads for six years
Portlaoise District Court
A MAN who paid €1,000 in compensation for rear-ending a car with a couple and young children in it was disqualified from driving for six years when his case came before last week’s sitting of the District Court in Portlaoise.
At a previous hearing into the case the court was told that 23-year-old Sam Leech from 20 Kilmanaghan Lodge, New Road, Clara, Offaly was on his way to pay off a drug debt when he rear-ended a car with the couple and young children in it, before driving off and fleeing the scene.
At that hearing Garda Stephen Lynott told the court that he received a report about a traffic collision that occurred along Spa Street in Portarlington on 20 December.
He said it had been reported that a car had been rear-ended that contained a couple and their three young children, one a one-month-old baby. He said it was also reported that the car that had left the scene on the wrong side of the road.
Details of the car’s registration had been obtained at the scene and when its owner was contacted, he told gardaí that another person had been driving it at the time.
Garda Lynott said that he later spoke with the defendant who admitted driving the car at the time.
Arising from the incident Leech was charged with dangerous driving, driving while uninsured, driving without a driving licence, hit and run, failing to stop and with hit and run causing damage.
He pleaded guilty to all the charges.
The court was told that the accused had previous convictions, which included three for having no insurance, a previous hit and run offence and was disqualified from driving at the time of the incident.
Defence solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said: “He is under no illusion of what happened on the day. Gardaí said that he was fully cooperative with them. He had a drug addiction at the time, and his mind was not on his driving.
“He had a drug debt and was on his way to pay it when the collision occurred. Since that time, he has received medical attention for his addiction.” When the case resumed last week Ms Fitzpatrick said that her client had already paid €700 compensation to the injured party and had a further €300 in court in compensation.
Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the defendant had not come to garda attention since the incident.
Judge Andrew Cody convicted Leech of driving while uninsured, imposed a three-month sentence suspended for three years, fined him €750 and disqualified him from driving for six years.
For driving without a licence, he was fined €250 and disqualified from driving for six years. On the dangerous driving charge the defendant was convicted, fined €250 and placed on a 12-month probation bond.
And for the offence of failing to stop at the scene of an accident Judge Cody convicted Mr Leech of the offence and fined him €250.
All other matters were taken into consideration.
