Court hears Midlands man crashed 15-year-old defective car into electric scooter

AN elderly motorist driving a dangerously defective vehicle crashed into an electric scooter in the square in Kilbeggan, Tullamore District Court heard.

Judge Andrew Cody said he had received a letter from the accused man, 84-year-old Thomas Nally, Dysart, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, saying he was too frail to attend court. He had not instructed a solicitor.

A hearing went ahead last week in Mr Nally's absence and the garda evidence was that a summons alleging the driving of a dangerously defective vehicle by the man issued after a two-vehicle collision at Market Square, Kilbeggan on November 4, 2022. The accused was aged 83 at the time.

The garda evidence was that Mr Nally was turning his 2007-registered blue Toyota Corolla from the square to the Racecourse Road when he collided with the scooter.

Mr Nally's car was seized afterwards and examined by a garda vehicle inspector who found brake discs and wipers worn, the windscreen washer fluid container empty and a sharp edge sticking out from the front left wing because of a previous collision.

That sharp metal could have cut the legs off a pedestrian, Judge Cody heard. The judge was also told the NCT certificate was out for seven months.

Sergeant Richard Thornton said the accused had a previous conviction for dangerous driving and the court was also told it was the gardai's belief the man was still driving because a new vehicle was seen at his address.

Judge Cody imposed a €500 and gave Mr Nally three months to pay.