Paudie Palmer accused alleged to have told friend: 'I am in the wrong 100%'

The court heard some of the texts to various people the accused sent on the day of the incident

Bohdan Bezverkhyi (pictured) denies the most serious charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Palmer on December 29, 2022. File picture: Dan Linehan

The Ukrainian motorist who denies dangerous driving causing the death of GAA broadcaster Paudie Palmer texted a friend that day saying: “I am in the wrong 100%, I drove off, I was drunk, there is no excuse for me, I am guilty of it all.” 

This text written in Russian by the accused man was translated for Judge Colin Daly and a jury of five women and seven men by Russian translator, Liudmila Ladchenko, at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Bohdan Bezverkhyi is on trial for dangerous driving causing Mr Palmer’s death — a charge he denies. He pleaded guilty to counts relating to leaving the scene.

Ms Ladchenko translated texts from Russian to English for the trial on Wednesday. They included these texts to various people the accused texted on the day of the incident at Christmas 2022:

“I got into a car accident. Advise me what to do. I just don’t know. Can’t see the right way out of the situation."

“I am a moron. I am guilty of it all. Don’t know what happened to the people. I am blaming myself for driving off."

“(When asked why he did not go to the traffic police after) Because I am not sober."

“Wrecked the car… Left the scene of the accident. Was pissed."

“Nevertheless, need to surrender to the garbage. I don’t see any other way out. I think this the most correct option.” 

33-year-old Bohdan Bezverkhyi, of Rigsdale House, Rigsdale, Ballinhassig, County Cork, denies the most serious charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Palmer at Dunkereen Cross, Innishannon, Co Cork, on December 29, 2022.

He pleaded guilty to five other charges. He admitted dangerous driving at another time and place — December 28, 2022 on the main Cork-Kerry road, the N22. In respect of the incident at Innishannon on December 29, 2022, he pleaded guilty to failing to offer assistance at the scene, failing to remain there, failing to report the incident to An Garda Síochána, and a charge of failing to stop.

Assistant state pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, gave evidence of examining the deceased on January 9 and also described the account of the background that was given to her from Mr Palmer's admission to Cork University Hospital on December 29, 2022.

Dr Bolster was told that the injuries were sustained following a high-speed road traffic collision at a junction some 300 metres from the deceased’s home in which Mr Palmer sustained traumatic brain injury, including bleeding to his brain and fractures to his spine.

Mr Palmer was admitted to intensive care at CUH on the day of the accident but his death was confirmed at 4.30am on January 8, 2023.

Dr Bolster confirmed that the cause of death was traumatic brain and spinal chord injuries with thoracic injuries from a road traffic collision.

The late Paudie Palmer.

In the course of her detailed evidence, Dr Bolster said there were multi-compartmental spinal chord injuries which she described as significant and multi-compartmental brain injuries that included bleeding on the brain. The pathologist also described the sheering of nerve fibres.

The traumatic brain injury was severe and there would have been a prolonged coma. There was cardiac arrest caused by blunt force trauma to the chest.

Defence senior counsel, Seamus Roche, suggested to the witness in cross-examination that she had not referred to the deceased wearing no seatbelt and added that it was very prudent to wear a seatbelt. Dr Bolster replied: “Absolutely, there is higher mortality rate in unrestrained driving. This a fact.” 

Mr Roche said of the deceased: “He was ejected behind the passenger seat. There would have been substantially more movement.” The pathologist agreed: “If you are unrestrained there is more tumbling.” 

The trial continues.