Four-year disqualification for causing Stradbally steam-engine crash

GARDAÍ had to borrow a wheelchair from the nearby hospital in Portlaoise to bring the 60-year old Laois man who crashed his car into a mini steam engine to court today.

Raymond Barrett was due before Portlaoise District Court for sentencing after been convicted, in his absence last week, on 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 during the St Patrick Day Parade in Stradbally last year.

However, the defendant was not present when his case was called this morning and Judge Andrew Cody issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

A short time later Mr Barrett was wheeled into court in a wheelchair covered with a blue coloured bed sheet.

The defendant’s barrister Brian Mallon (BL) explained to the court that due to medical conditions his client had difficulty earlier that morning and had been unable to travel.

Prosecuting garda Brian Kelly said that gardaí had to borrow a wheelchair from Portlaoise hospital to assist Mr Barrett in attending court.

Mr Mallon said that Mr Barrett “is living alone, in an extreme isolated rural area, and in extreme squalor.” He said his client wanted to convey his deepest apologies to the injured parties and to the gardaí for his behaviour on the day.

He said Mr Barrett had been diagnosed with a degenerative disease six years ago.

Local shopkeeper, and father of local Fine Gael councillor Vivienne Phelan - Sylvester Phelan told the court that he has known the defendant for the past number of years.

“His case is so bad. It’s an extreme case. If I could use an analogy” said Mr Phelan: “If Raymond Barrett was an animal he would have been recused years ago.”

He said: “On Saint Patrick’s Day he was coming into town to buy food because he was hungry. He has been let down by the health board, the religious and the psychiatric services. He didn’t intend to be in an accident that day. It just happened. Richard Barrett is in very bad circumstances.” Accepting that Mr Phelan was trying to assist Mr Barrett, Judge Cody noted the then 12-year old boy who suffered injuries in the incident that day requires skin grafts on his legs.

“I appreciate you are trying to assist Mr Barrett, Mr Phelan, but I have to keep that in mind,” said Judge Cody.

Mr Phelan said: “ Mr Barrett also suffered in the accident. He couldn’t walk after it. He suffered trauma.” 

Mr Mallon asked Judge Cody to consider sending his client for a probation report before passing sentence.

Dismissing his request Judge Cody said: “After the accident Mr Barrett told gardaí to fuck off and described one garda as two ends of a prick and abused another man. He seemed more interested in not getting the keys of his car taken from him.” He said footage from a recording on a phone that was shown of the incident, at an earlier sitting of the case, showed that Mr Barrett did not apply his brakes, was unable to change gears and blamed his dog for causing the accident.

Judge Cody accepted that a degenerative disease causes serious challenges to people’s lives with their mobility, particularly those living alone and in rural areas and in particular for those who drive.

The judge noted that Mr Barrett had agreed to surrender his driving licence, but was also aware that garda Kelly had stopped Mr Barrett driving after it had been surrendered.

The court heard that Mr Barrett had two previous convictions for drink driving.

Judge Cody went on to convict Mr Barrett on one count of dangerous driving, fined him €100 and disqualified him from driving for four years. He also convicted him of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, fined him €100 and took all other matters into consideration.