Ukrainian woman charged with dangerous driving causing death faces additional charges

Olivia Kelleher

A Ukranian woman charged in connection with the death of a man who was found unresponsive in a car park near Cork Airport last year has been charged with two additional offences.

Kseniia Vasylenko was previously charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Andrii Nesterov on lands at Cork Airport, Lehanaghmore on October 8th last. Mr Nesterov, 49, was also a native of Ukraine.

Monday at the Cork District Court the 43-year-old was charged with driving without a licence or insurance on the same occasion. Garda Gary Brennan said that Ms Vasylenko made no reply when the charges were put to her under caution.

Ms Vasylenko, who is a mother of one, was remanded on a fixed bail of €400 to appear before Cork District Court again on February 26th next.

Defence solicitor Frank Buttimer previously said that his client had travelled to Ireland with her five-year-old son to seek sanctuary after war broke out in the Ukraine.

Ms Vasylenko’s 62 year old mother was already in Cork when she joined her in December 2022.

Mr Buttimer said that his client had worked in local authority administration in a city in central Ukraine prior to the war. She doesn't have a criminal record.

Ms Vasylenko previously said that she was willing to obey even the most stringent bail conditions set down by the court.

“I quit my job to save my life and my son’s life. I will do anything to be with my son as we have a very close bond. I promise I will not be leaving Ireland. I do not have relatives or friends who could accommodate us in Europe. I love Ireland and the Irish people”.

Mr Nesterov was taken to Cork University Hospital on the morning of October 8th where he was later pronounced dead. A postmortem was carried out by Dr Margaret Bolster.

Ms Vasylenko was subsequently arrested in relation to the investigation of the death. She was questioned under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at Togher Garda Station.