Jury in trial of driver accused of causing death of broadcaster told to avoid 'amateur detective work'

GAA broadcaster Paudie Palmer died from traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries.

The jury in the trial of a Ukrainian national who denies dangerous driving causing the death of GAA broadcaster Paudie Palmer at Innishannon in 2022 were told by the presiding judge that they should not “engage in amateur detective work” as the case was adjourned for the weekend.

Judge Jonathan Dunphy gave this warning to the jury of seven women and five men at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on Friday as the case was adjourned until April 15.

Judge Dunphy told them they should not discuss the case with anyone over the weekend and they should refrain from reading media reports or any social media comments about the case. He reminded them they should only consider the evidence that they see and hear in court as part of their work as jurors. “You should not engage in amateur detective work,” the judge said.

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

One piece of evidence which they heard on Friday came from Detective Garda Paul Holland who said that he photographed a BMW car suspected to have been involved in a collision with the red car driven by the late Mr Palmer.

“While I was taking photographs I saw three flakes of red paint on the front bumper of the vehicle,” he said.

Assistant state pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster concluded that the cause of death was traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries with thoracic injuries from a road traffic collision.

Defence senior counsel Seamus Roche, referred to the deceased not wearing a seatbelt: “I don’t wish to be unfair to the man but that is a factor of the case. He was not driving in a safe manner for whatever reason and was, in fact, on his incorrect side of the road — that is the nub of the defence. He (Bohdan Bezverkhyi) was trying to negotiate the cross as safely as he could.”