A taxi-driver who 'rear-ended' a cyclist on a roundabout in Dundalk was fined

A part-time taxi driver who 'rear-ended' a cyclist on a roundabout in Dundalk, has been fined €1,000 at Dundalk Circuit Court.

A jury had been sworn-in for the trial of Bernard Hutchinson (68) of Aisling Park, Dundalk, but he was re-arraigned before it began last Tuesday and pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious bodily harm on the N52, Marshes Upper, on November 18th 2021.

The court heard the cyclist was on the roundabout on the Inner Relief Road, beside the Applegreen Service Station near Dundalk Retail Park, when the defendant rear ended his bike.

The man, who sustained a fractured leg and fractured thumb, did not wish to make a victim impact statement, but the court heard he spent a number of days in hospital and was wearing a cast when he was discharged and was off work for six months.

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The Senior Defence Counsel handed in an engineer's report to the court and said Mr Hutchinson's view was obstructed by signage at the roundabout.

The court was told the cyclist was wearing dark clothing, had no high viz clothing or reflectors on and a red light found at the scene, which is believed to have been knocked off the bike, had a flat battery when it was examined three days later.

The Senior Counsel said his client, who has been married for 44 years, has been driving without incident for 50 years, and was on his way to collect a fare that night, and his driving licence is crucial to his existence.

Judge Dara Hayes said the case was not appropriate for a custodial sentence or a suspended sentence and a €1,000 fine was an appropriate penalty.

No disqualification was imposed.