A 30 year old man has appeared before a sitting of Ennis District Court this Thursday in connection with an alleged hit and run incident at Knockadoon, Tulla on October 28 last.
James O’Donoghue with an address at Bay 8, Lynch’s Lane, Clondalkin, Dublin 2, appeared before Judge Aeneas McCarthy on Thursday charged with a single charge of dangerous driving at Knockadoon on October 28.
Inspector Tom Kennedy, prosecuting, outlined that the State would allege that the accused was involved “in a hit and run incident in which the defendant crashed his car into another vehicle, he then left the scene and later turned up at hospital”.
Garda Darren McLoughlin of Scariff garda station gave evidence of arresting the defendant, charging him and administering the relevant caution. In reply to the charge after this caution, Mr O’Donoghue said, “No comment”.
The defendant was admitted to bail on certain conditions, that he reside at the above address, that he observe a curfew from 11pm to 7am, sign on each Wednesday at his local garda station between 9am and 9pm, that he stay out of County Clare except for court appearances.
The State also sought a condition that he not drive any vehicle but this was not acceptable to the court.
Judge McCarthy commented, “I don’t think I have the jurisdiction to do that, he is not convicted of anything and to do so flies in the face of the presumption of innocence”.
The State was also given liberty to re-enter the matter should the defendant breach any of the bail conditions set out.
Free legal aid was granted to the defendant to cover his solicitor Angus McCarthy and an order was made for disclosure of statements in the case.
He was remanded on bail to reappear before a sitting of Killaloe District Court on December 2.
By Carol Byrne
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.