Crashed into wall in Laois causing €3,000 damage

A man caused €3,000 damage to a wall and post box when he hit them with his car. 

Karl Dunne (41) of 28 Cullenbeg Park, Mountmellick, admitted causing criminal damage at Derrylusk, Mountrath, on May 7, 2025. 

Garda Dylan Hogan told the sitting of Portlaoise District Court that he had responded after “a vehicle had crashed into a wall” at the location. He viewed CCTV footage and located the driver a short distance away. “He admitted his part in the offence,” said Garda Hogan. 

He said there was €3,000 in damage done to the wall  and the injured party has been compensated fully. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said a post was also destroyed in the collision and Garda Hogan said the injured party had been fully compensated. 

Judge Andrew Cody noted “it was in the nature of a car accident and leaving the scene.” 

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client was “very fortunate not to have attracted other prosecutions” arising from the incident.

Sgt Kirby said the defendant had a number of previous convictions and his most recent dated from 2021. 

Ms Fitzpatrick said her client had made full admissions. She said he had been in a relationship which was coming to an end and had “went out in the car to clear his head” but drove into gravel and lost control before crashing. She said he “panicked” and left the car at the scene. She said the man no longer lives in Mountmellick but was now living in Dublin with his brother. The man returned to work as a general operative in the past week but Ms Fitzpatrick said he wasn’t a man of means. 

Judge Cody granted legal aid, disqualified the man from driving for six months and  fined him €300 with six months to pay.