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Irish Independent
07-08-2025
- Irish Independent
Motorist jailed for two years for causing horror crash that left car sliding on its roof
Peter Mohan, Rathkeelan Park, Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh, pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment stemming from a collision on the Castleblayney Road out of Dundalk, at Annavackey, Hackballscross, on November 2, 2023. The defendant has a previous conviction for dangerous driving causing death for which he received a jail sentence and disqualification. The impact in question occurred on a blind hillcrest and evidence was heard that the drivers only saw each other at the last second, with Mr Mohan on the wrong side of the road. Judge Dara Hayes said that he had been driving 'substantially in excess of the 80kmh speed limit'. The other driver had no time to react after the defendant overtook two other vehicles on a stretched of road governed by a double continuous white line. The car he struck overturned on the road and its driver was injured. He was taken to hospital. The defendant couldn't remember what happened after waking up in Newry's Daisy Hill Hospital. Judge Hayes said there was no explanation for his driving as he came home from work in Wexford. It was clearly a serious offence. In any sense, 'highly dangerous driving'. There were four previous convictions, including for dangerous driving causing death for which an 18-month sentence and eight-year disqualification was imposed at Monaghan Circuit Court in 2002. The judge said these were relevant previous convictions. A three-year sentence was imposed, the final 12 months suspended for 12 months post release. Mr Mohan was disqualified from driving for five years. A charge of dangerous driving was taken into consideration. At a previous sentence hearing, Gda Bernard Keown testified that a Volkswagen Passat containing two people was travelling from Crossmaglen to Dundalk at 7.40pm when the driver saw lights coming towards him. He attempted to swerve but was hit by a Vauxhall Insignia driven by the accused. The Passat flipped and came to a stop in the middle of the road. His passenger got out and after crawling into the back of the car, the driver was able to get out through the same passenger door. The Insignia was 'propelled' into a field. Another driver gave a statement about Mr Mohan's car 'overtaking aggressively' forcing him into evasive action by slowing to make space so that there was no head-on collision. A different man, behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Caddy, said that the Insignia overtook him at such speed his van 'shook'. He estimated it was doing 'over 100mph'. Mr Mohan was not at the scene when gardaí arrived having been taken to Daisy Hill Hospital by a car which pulled up. He was discharged the next morning. Gda Keown said that a blood sample taken from the Insignia matched the DNA of Mr Mohan. He went to Dundalk Garda Station by arrangement and in an interview said that he couldn't remember what happened. He had turned off the M1 alone in his father's car, a journey he made four or five times a week. It was stated on the defendant's behalf that he wanted to apologise. He co-operated. Letters from two physicians treating Mr Mohan's family were handed into court, as well as notes from him and his partner. Their daughter had significant difficulties and health challenges and he was actively involved in looking after her.
Irish Independent
16-06-2025
- Irish Independent
Louth drink driver who hit car at traffic lights receives 3-year disqualification
Niall Martin McCusker, Bishops Court, Sheetland Road, Termonfeckin, Drogheda, was accused of drink driving, using a CVR vehicle without a certificate of road worthiness and failing to produce a certificate of road worthiness, at the R166 Newtownstalaban, Drogheda, on July 25, 2023. The district court rejected a defence argument that a blood sample was not taken within three hours of the time of driving as required by law. A man testified that while he drove a Nissan Qashqai home from Drogheda, accompanied by his mother-in-law, they were behind a row of cars stopped at temporary traffic lights for roadworks. They were sitting there for about a minute when he heard 'a roar of an engine' behind before an 'unmerciful bang'. A man, driver of a Volkswagen Caddy, came over to him and asked if they were okay. He said it was his fault and to 'take a picture of what you need'. He said this man added: 'I'm going. I don't need to be here.' When the car driver pointed out that he was ringing the guards, the defendant said there was no need as he was holding his hands up. The man said he phoned Gardaí just atter 9.30pm which was five to 10 minutes after the collision. From the impact, a towbar on his vehicle was folded in underneath the car. His nephew arrived and was directing traffic. He rang the guards too. Gda Graham Doolan said that a 999 call was received at 9.35pm. He arrived at the scene at 10.15pm where ambulance personnel were treating people. There were concerns for the front seat passenger of the car. Mr McCusker, who has no previous convictions, was travelling alone. He failed a roadside breath test. He was arrested and brought to Drogheda Garda Station. He co-operated. A doctor arrived at 12.01am to take a blood sample which subsequently showed an over the limit reading of 212mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Defence counsel submitted that the sample was taken at 12.09am and the phone call made at 9.30pm or just after. It was a tight timeframe regarding the three-hour limit. Court presenter Sgt John O'Hehir said that the witness had been very clear that the call was made around 9.30pm, soon after the collision occurred. Judge Nicola Andrews said that she was satisfied that the sample was taken within three hours of driving. The defence did not go into evidence. It was stated on Mr McCusker's behalf that the loss of his licence would be a significant penalty. He was a carer for his seriously ill father. Judge Andrews said it was an aggravating factor that he wanted to leave the scene. Counsel responded that he remained. There was no charge brought in that regard. A €1,005 fine was imposed along with a three-year driving disqualification, postponed until December 10 next. The other summonses were taken into consideration.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How A Shop In The UK Beat The Nürburgring's Van Lap Record In A Diesel Volkswagen
None of Jalopnik's full-time staffers have kids, and yet, we're still about as pro-van as a transportation site gets. I mean, what can I say? They're just so darn practical. Maybe you don't put much stock in Nurburgring lap times, but van lap times? Now that's some Very Important News. For the last several years, the record to beat was Guy Martin's time of 9:28 in a 700-horsepower Ford Transit Super Van. Now, that record has been beaten, too, and Road & Track recently talked with Dan Silvester, the guy who recently lapped the 'Ring in 8:27. In a diesel Volkswagen van. As you can imagine, Silvester's Volkswagen Caddy is a far cry from the stock Ford Transit that Sabine Schmitz set a time of 10:12 on "Top Gear" back in 2005. Still, it isn't quite as powerful as you might assume. There's no electric powertrain yanked out of a wrecked Tesla or supercharged V8. Instead, it's just a 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine that makes 356 hp and 470 pound-feet of torque. The modifications required to turn it into a Nürburgring record-holder came from Darkside Developments, a British tuning shop that specializes in diesels. As Road & Track put it: At a glance, the Volkswagen Caddy is a utilitarian work van, but Darkside Developments's expertise turned the part-VW Touran, part-VW Golf machine into a proper track car. Upgrades range from a Wavetrac limited-slip differential up front and KW Clubsport suspension all around to a 4Motion AWD conversion kit from an Audi, Porsche Cayenne brakes, and the requisite bits of interior racing kit. In other words, it's a shell of its former self, much like the Ford Transit that Martin took into battle back in 2021. Read more: These Supercars Lose Value So Quickly, They're Almost A Steal According to Silvester, part of the reason you don't see more extensive aero mods on the outside of the van has less to do with keeping it anonymous and more to do with achieving a higher top speed. As he told Road & Track: I don't know if it's just the shape of the van itself because it had plenty of power, and, if you put that power plant in a Golf, it'll probably do 160 mph. But the van just really didn't want to go much more. I think we got up to 140 mph on the back straight. We had no aero on the van at all either. We didn't put any splitter or a spoiler on it because we thought we wanted to use all the power we've got without causing too much drag, and we didn't want to ruin the profile of the van and keep it looking like a van. Despite not being able to hit the top speed they may have liked, they still smashed Guy Martin's time by a full minute. That said, it doesn't technically count as a new official lap record because it was set on a public track day, and the lap time wasn't officially confirmed. They may have used a VBox system to time the lap, so there's no reason to believe Silvester didn't lap the 'Ring as quickly as he claims, but still. You have to jump through all the necessary hoops if your want your Nurburgring van lap record to be officially official. It's also a fascinating interview, so be sure to head over to Road & Track to read the whole thing. Or just give them a click so Hearst knows you want to see more van content. Because, in a world full of SUVs, the car world deserves more van content. If you want more details on the build, you can also take a look at that here. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Irish Independent
06-06-2025
- Irish Independent
Louth motorist with previous dangerous driving causing death conviction sentenced over high-speed crash
Peter Mohan, Rathkeelan Park, Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh, pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment stemming from a collision on the Castleblayney Road out of Dundalk, at Annavackey, Hackballscross, on November 2, 2023. The defendant has a previous conviction for dangerous driving causing death for which he received a prison sentence and disqualification. The impact in question occurred on a blind hillcrest and evidence was heard that the drivers only saw each other at the last second, with Mr Mohan on the wrong side of the road. Gda Bernard Keown testified that a Volkswagen Passat containing two people was travelling from Crossmaglen to Dundalk at 7.40pm when the driver saw lights coming towards him. He attempted to swerve but was hit by a Vauxhall Insignia driven by the accused. The Passat flipped and came to a stop in the middle of the road. His passenger got out and after crawling into the back of the car, the driver was able to get out through the same passenger door. The passenger remembered the other vehicle on the wrong side of the road. There was not much time to react. It happened at the top of a hill, a blind hillcrest. The speed limit was 80kmh and the road governed by a double continuous white line. Gda Keown said that the Insignia was 'propelled' into a field. Another driver gave a statement about Mr Mohan's car 'overtaking aggressively' forcing him into evasive action by slowing to make space so that there was no head-on collision. A different man, behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Caddy, said that the Insignia overtook him at such speed his van 'shook'. He estimated it was doing 'over 100mph'. He heard a bang and saw the Passat sliding on its roof. The defendant's car was in a field. Mr Mohan was not at the scene having been taken to Daisy Hill Hospital by a car which pulled up. He was discharged the next morning. His father had turned up at the scene and was sympathetic to the two young men in the other car. That driver was taken by ambulance to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. He had cuts and bruises, pain to the right shoulder and back. He also had pain in his legs, and suffered nerve tingling in his hands and feet and found it difficult to concentrate for a number of months. Gda Keown said that a blood sample taken from the Insignia matched the DNA of Mr Mohan. He went to Dundalk Garda Station by arrangement and in an interview said that he couldn't remember what happened and woke up in hospital. He had turned off the M1 alone in his father's car, a journey he made four or five times a week. The court heard of four previous convictions, including for dangerous driving causing death for which an 18-month sentence and eight-year disqualification were imposed at Monaghan Circuit Court in 2002. The other convictions were for dangerous driving reduced to careless driving and handling stolen property. Gda Keown replied to senior counsel Garnet Orange, instructed by solicitor Ciarán Hughes, that from M1 Junction 17 to Hackballscross the road was wide and had a 100kmh speed limit. Counsel submitted that a good stretch of road funneled into a bad stretch but that doesn't excuse Mr Mohan driving at 'grossly excessive speed'. He had no reasonable explanation. A driver for a living, he was on his way home from work having driven from Wexford. It could have gone an awful lot worse. There was no one to blame but him. He should have been 100% concentrating on driving. He was nearly home after a long drive. The defendant wanted to apologise. He co-operated and his early plea of guilty must be of some value. Letters from two physicians treating Mr Mohan's family were handed into court, as well as notes from him and his partner. Their daughter had significant difficulties and health challenges and he was actively involved in looking after her. Mr Orange said that the defendant was dealing with the mental and physical consequences of the collision. Judge Dara Hayes said that this was a serious matter which he would finalise on July 30.
Western Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Western Telegraph
Pembrokeshire defendants in courts across Wales and England
The five defendants were accused of drug possession, drug-driving, and failing to identify drivers who were alleged to have committed driving offences. Their cases were heard in courts in Cardiff, Cwmbran, Aldershot, London, and Carlisle. For the latest crime and court news for west Wales, you can join our Facebook group here. Here's a round-up of the cases. HANNAH WINTERTON, 24, of Chapel Row in Llangwm, was driving on the M4 at Cardiff whilst under the influence of cannabis. Winterton was driving a Vauxhall Corsa on the westbound M4 between junctions 32 and 33 on October 26. When tested, she recorded having 5.9 micrograms of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol per litre (µg/L) of blood. The legal limit – to exclude accidental exposure – is 2µg/L. She pleaded guilty to drug-driving at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on May 2, and was banned from driving for 14 months. Winterton must also pay a £120 fine, £85 in costs, and a £48 surcharge. MILFORD HAVEN PORT AUTHORITY, of Gorsewood Drive in Hakin, has been ordered to pay more than £1,000 for not identifying a driver who was accused of a driving offence in Hampshire. The Port Authority was alleged to have failed to give information to Hampshire Police relating to identity of the driver of a Nissan Juke, who was suspected of having committed a driving offence. It pleaded guilty at Aldershot Magistrates' Court on April 28, and was ordered to pay a £660 fine, £110 in costs, and a £260 surcharge. JOHN ASHBY, now 38, of Laws Street in Pembroke Dock, was caught in London with LSD and cannabis. Ashby was alleged to have been in possession of the drugs at Victoria Station at August 31. He pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates' Court on April 30, and was fined £100. A forfeiture and destruction order was made for the drugs. ANDREW BARTON, 58, of Rickeston, outside Milford Haven, failed to identify a driver accused of a motoring offence. Barton was accused of failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver of a Seat who was alleged to have committed a driving offence in Cumbria. He pleaded not guilty, but was found guilty at Carlisle Magistrates' Court on May 2. Barton was fined £300 and was ordered to pay £325 in costs and a £120 surcharge. He also had six points added to his licence. JAMIE WHITE, 34, of Freystrop, has been ordered to pay almost £500 after not identifying a driver. White was accused of failing to give Gwent Police information relating to the identification of the driver of a Volkswagen Caddy who was alleged to have committed a motoring offence. He pleaded guilty using the single justice procedure, and was hit with a £278 fine at Cwmbran Magistrates' Court on May 8. White must also pay £90 in costs and a £111 surcharge, and had six points added to his licence. He avoided a driving ban for accumulating too many points due to the mitigation given to the court.
