Suspended sentence and two-year ban for causing three car collision
Carlow courthouse
A MARRIED father-of-three has been given a suspended sentence and banned from driving for two years after he pulled out in front of an oncoming car on the N81, causing a three-vehicle collision that left a man with ‘significant’ injuries and sent several children to hospital.
Adebajo Adeniran (42) Dunlavin Lodge, Stephen St, Dunlavin, County Wicklow, appeared before Judge Geraldine Carthy at Carlow District Court for finalisation, having previously pleaded guilty to careless driving.
The court heard that on 10 May 2025, Stephen Mullins was driving on the N81 at the legal speed limit when, at Hollywood cross, the defendant attempted to turn right and collided with his vehicle. Mr Mullins’ car was then struck by a third vehicle driven by another party. Mr Mullins and the children who were passengers in his car all required hospital treatment, with Mr Mullins suffering numerous significant injuries and the others treated for less serious ones.
Solicitor Tertius Van Eeden said his client had been travelling towards Baltinglass when “there was a vehicle oncoming and he didn't see it, so he collided with the injured party.” He said Mr Adeniran "wasn't aware on the day of the significant injuries suffered" by Mr Mullins.
“How did your client not see a stationary vehicle?” asked Judge Carthy.
Mr Van Eeden said the defendant “didn’t see the oncoming vehicle at the time,” explaining that the entry from the national road to the local road was “very narrow.” He said that as his client attempted to clear the vehicle on the right-hand side “a car travelling from his front came at speed and hit him on his back left-hand side,” causing his car to spin, and that it was this third vehicle which then collided with the stationary car. “It’s an unfortunate accident,” he said.
Judge Carthy expressed surprise at the level of charge brought, noting the case had been prosecuted as careless driving under section 53 rather than the more serious offence of dangerous driving causing serious harm.
In mitigation, the solicitor said Mr Adeniran was a 42-year-old married man with three children, originally from Nigeria, who had been driving for more than 20 years. He said his client had lost his job as a result of the accident and was now working in the food industry. Mr Van Eeden said his client “wasn’t trying to be unsafe” and suggested that if the other vehicle had seen him and slowed down, the collision “mightn’t have happened,” adding: “my client is not solely to blame.” “He pulled out in front of an oncoming car,” the judge responded.
Mr Van Eeden asked the court to take his client’s early guilty plea into consideration.
Judge Carthy said: “The medical report is quite stark in terms of the effects on this individual” adding that Mr Adeniran “made a grave error.” She convicted and sentenced Mr Adeniran to four months in prison, suspended for 12 months, on his own bond of €300 and disqualified him from driving for two years.
