No road ban for Cork hackney driver who knocked down young girl at pedestrian crossing

Traffic light turned red as accused drove through, colliding with the child, resulting in injuries that included fractures to her right tibia and fibula

Accused got a one-year suspended sentence and a €4,000 fine. Picture: Larry Cummins

An 11-year-old girl was knocked down and seriously injured at a pedestrian crossing in Carrigaline when a hackney driver went through as the light turned red against him and on Monday he got a one-year suspended sentence and a €4,000 fine.

Judge Dermot Sheehan said in light of the good driving history of 55-year-old Kieran Crowley, of Post Office Road, Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, and the fact he took an advanced driving test after the incident, he would not impose any driving disqualification.

“Even though the incident was fairly bad, he had many years of good driving and passed the advance course of driving [afterwards],” Judge Sheehan said.

Kieran Crowley pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to a charge of careless driving causing serious bodily harm.

The particulars of the charge were that on April 13, 2022, at Lower Kilmoney Road, Carrigaline, Co Cork, he drove his hackney car without due care and attention, thereby causing serious bodily harm.

Garda Joseph Maher, who investigated the incident, said the injured party was an 11-year-old girl.

The child was crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing at Lower Kilmoney Road when Mr Crowley drove through the crossing at Church Hill. He was turning right in traffic and the light turned red as he drove through, colliding with the child, resulting in injuries that included fractures to her right tibia and fibula.

The child’s parents presented a victim impact statement in which they said their daughter suffered from anxiety as well as the physical injuries.

Alan O’Dwyer, defence barrister, said: “It was a pure accident borne out of his negligence on the day. It should not have happened.” 

Kieran Crowley apologised and said: “I hope in time she will make a full recovery.”