Man who crashed into mini-steam engine at Stradbally St. Patrick’s Day parade in court

THE man who crashed his car into a miniature steam engine pulling a small trailer in last year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Stradbally is to be sentenced later this week.

Over a two day period last week evidence was given at Portlaoise District Court surrounding the events on the day.

At the outset of the case on Thursday Judge Andrew Cody was informed that the defendant, 60-year old Raymond Barrett from Luggacurran was not present in court.

Mr Barrett had indicated last October that he was fully contesting the charges of two counts of dangerous driving, having no driving licence, having no motor tax, failing to produce a driving licence as well as engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

Judge Cody set Thursday 2 January as the date for a full hearing in the case. 

He said that the defendant had been aware of the date and was proceeding with it in his absence.

During the course of the case several witness, who had been present during the parade, gave their evidence of what they saw and heard.

Video footage that was recorded by an unknown bystander on their mobile phone of what occurred on the day, that has been circulated widely on social media sites, was also shown in court.

In a sworn written statement to gardaí following the incident, read in court, Mr Barrett said that his Jack Russell dog, which was tied to a seat belt on the passenger side of his car “pulled out of his collar and jumped between my feet. The dog basically caused the car to drive forward at pace into the trailer.” 

The prosecuting garda Brian Kelly said that Mr Barrett was very abusive towards him telling him to f**k off and calling him two ends of a pri*k.

One woman told of how she ran across the street after the incident and took the keys from Mr Barret’s ignition.

Another said that he took a spare key of the car from Mr Barrett, who then called him “nothing but a robbing bastard.” 

Another local man said that €3,500 worth of damage had been caused to his parked car when the mini steam engine was shunted into his car from the impact of the crash.

One of the two people who were injured in the incident told of how the the crash has affected her.

The following day Friday 3 December Mr Barrett was brought before the court on foot of a bench warrant where he answered why he had not been in court the previous day.

Judge Cody remanded Mr Barrett on his own bail to appear again in court on Thursday 9 January for sentencing.

**Full court report in next week's edition of the Laois Nationalist