Driver in horror crash pleads guilty to multiple offences
The defendant pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
A 20-year-old had drugs in his system and was driving a defective vehicle when he struck a cyclist causing life-changing injuries.
Patrick Sweeney, aged 20, of Claremorris Road, Ballinrobe, but now residing in Sligo, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm and drug driving.
The court was told that Sweeney's car struck retired Castlebar GP Dr Paul Carney on June 14, 2023, when the 72-year old was cycling in Ballyheane.
Gda Deborah Gilroy told the court that after midday Gardaí were called to the scene of a collision between a car and a cyclist close to Kelly’s Tractor Garage along the N84 in Ballyheane.
CCTV showed Dr Carney exiting a side road and travelling south on the hard shoulder in the direction of Ballyheane before his bicycle was struck.
The force of the impact sent his bicycle into the garden of a house and Dr Carney was left lying in the gateway of the same property. Sweeney left the scene but returned five minutes later.
CCTV from filling stations in Ballinrobe, Ballintubber, Ballyheane, and a Partry pub captured Sweeney and his vehicle. A witness reported that his Toyota Avensis and a BMW X5 had overtaken each other a number of times before the collision occurred. Gardaí were unable to establish a link between the vehicles.
Sweeney was overtaking the BMW when he mowed down Dr Carney. Gardaí estimate he was travelling at an average of 115km per hour from when he was first captured on CCTV to when he ran over Dr Carney.
The accused failed a roadside drug test with cannabis and cocaine detected. A test in the Garda station later revealed the presence of cannabis but not cocaine.
Sweeney had no driving licence, no insurance and was driving a dangerously defective vehicle. A Garda inspection discovered a corroded brake disc. Gardaí said the accused had to be aware of the issue as the car made a loud growling noise when driven.
Dr Carney, from Mountain View, Castlebar, suffered traumatic brain injuries and multiple breaks, including fractures to his sternum, head and neck.
His family delivered a powerful victim impact statement describing the devastating physical and psychological effects of the collision on Dr Carney.
“His world should have been so big and full but now it’s reduced to the four walls of a stark hospital room. He is a living corpse, stuck in a life of unimaginable suffering,” said his daughter Brenda.
Sweeney has four previous convictions and he was convicted for drug possession and driving without insurance in September 2023 while on bail on this matter. Convictions for driving without an L Plate and and driving while unaccompanied were recorded three months before his vehicle struck Dr Carney.
Sweeney is unemployed and on disability.
Senior counsel Bernard Madden, representing the accused, said his client took a mixture of drugs, prescription medication, and alcohol the day before the crash.
He said Sweeney took a valium tablet that was beside the gearstick in the aftermath of the collision to “settle his nerves". The barrister said his client feels “shame and regret". The court heard Sweeney tried drugs for the first time at 18 and has used cocaine, ecstasy, MDMA and cannabis. He continues to use cannabis. Mr Madden said Sweeney feels it will be difficult for him to give up cannabis but is willing to try.
The court was told he left Ballinrobe due to feuding but Sweeney claims he is not directly involved. The 20-year old is deemed to be at high-risk of re-offending.
Judge Eoin Garavan adjourned the case until February 27 next for a psychological report. He remanded Sweeney in custody.
