Cork motorist who nearly ran over group of cycling gardaí avoids conviction

A Cork motorist who narrowly avoided colliding with a group of gardaí undergoing mountain bike training has avoided a conviction in the district court.

Court presenter Sergeant Tom Mulcahy told Clonakilty District Court that Denis O’Callaghan, 41 of Sunmount Lodge, Ballyvackey, Clonakilty was driving his white BMW car near Ahamilla, Clonakilty on September 17, 2024 at 3:20 pm. 

The court heard that Mr O’Callaghan attempted to exit onto a minor road at a junction but failed to see five garda cyclists undergoing mountain bike training who were approaching the junction.

The court was told that O’Callaghan failed to stopped at the junction and narrowly missed the two cyclists at the head of the group. The court heard that O’Callaghan had eight previous convictions including a careless driving conviction from 2006.

Defence solicitor Colette McCarthy said her client was pleading guilty to careless driving. She said the junction in question was a difficult one where the road “curved to one side.” 

She said her client who drives the road all the time had glanced up but admitted he did not properly see the cycling gardaí and was taken by surprise. The court was told that O’Callaghan had no recent convictions and was working and the father of two children.

Judge Joanne Carroll said that based on the evidence she was not satisfied that the incident amounted to careless driving and that driving without due care and attention was probably a more accurate description and she decided to strike out the prosecution.