‘Traumatised’ by fatal crash at Laois landmark 

A passenger in a car involved in a fatal collision at the Rock of Dunamase was traumatised by the experience, a sitting of Portlaoise District Court was told. 

Lee Dennehy, 21, of  86 Rossvale, Portlaoise appeared in court accused of stealing alcohol from the Carryout, Mountmellick Road, Portlaoise on December 28, 2022. He was further charged with stealing a bottle of vodka worth €23 from Aldi, Portlaoise on June 6, 2023 and with public intoxication on the Mountmellick Road in Portlaoise on August 24, 2022. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the defendant walked into the Carryout on December 28 last year and stole a crate of budweiser valued at €20. He was arrested and apologised. He said the defendant had paid €25 to Aldi in respect of the theft of a bottle of vodka. 

“He has eight convictions and they are all this year,” Sgt Kirby told the sitting of Portlaoise District Court. He said the defendant hasn’t been coming to garda attention in the recent past. 

Solicitor Philip Meagher said his client was pleading guilty to the offences. He said his client had stopped drinking. He said his client had been a passenger in a car that was involved in a fatal collision at the Rock of Dunamase and “he was traumatised by that”. He said the defendant had given him €20 to repay the off licence. 

Judge Andrew Cody adjourned the case to Portlaoise District Court on April 15 for a probation report.