Rally weekend stunt by a model Kilgarvan student

JUDGE David Waters reluctantly reduced a charge of dangerous driving to careless driving for a Kilgarvan man who pulled a handbrake turn in front of spectators at the Rally of the Lakes at Molls Gap in May of this year.

The court heard that Patrick Murphy of Lounahan, Kilgarvan who was described as “a model student” performed a handbrake turn at Molls Gap “in an act of bravado”.

Defence solicitor, Padraig O’Connell, said Mr Murphy had pleaded to a careless driving charge and that his actions were “very silly”. He said, however, that there was no accident, damage or injury caused by Mr Murphy’s actions.

The court heard that Mr Murphy is currently on an apprenticeship with Liebherr and working in Shannon.

Sgt Miriam Mulhall Nolan said that there were spectators present when Mr Murphy pulled the handbrake turn at the junction to the Black Valley on the Sneem Road during the Rally weekend.

He was subsequently charged with dangerous driving at Derrynafunsha, Blackwater, Killarney on May 6,2018. This was reduced to a charge of careless driving at Kenmare District Court last week.

Judge Waters said that normally he would not see a handbrake turn as careless driving but he would reluctantly do so.

“It is a bit more than careless it is deliberate,” he said.

He convicted and fined him €250 but did not disqualify him.