by David Raleigh
VIDEO footage of a car colliding with pedestrians and hurtling them into the air during an alleged ‘hit and run’ in Limerick City last Sunday morning, was played during a bail hearing at Limerick District Court this Tuesday, October 12.
The CCTV footage showed a car approaching a group of pedestrians from behind, before it appearedย to speed up and plough directly into them.
Some of the pedestrians can be seen being flung into the air by the impact, before the car is seen leaving the scene without stopping.
Gardaรญ alleged that the car involved was a red coloured Audi A4, and that Chloe McNamara, (20), with an address at Sarsfield Gardens, Moyross, Limerick, was the driver.
Gardaรญ objected to bail on a number of grounds, including the seriousness of the charges against Ms McNamara; that theyย regard her as a flight risk and thatย sheย would intimidate witnesses, as well as the nature and strength of the evidence.
Garda Patricia McCormack, Henry Street Garda Station, told the court that gardaรญ responded to โa hit and run road traffic collisionโ at Cornmarket Row in Limerick City at 1.10am.
She said paramedics were already at the scene treating three injured pedestrians, including a man and two women, who were all โlying on the roadโ.
Garda McCormack said the three pedestrians were still being treated for serious injuries at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) including the manย who sustained โserious head and spinal injuriesโ and remained in a critical condition. The two injured female pedestrians were being treated for โserious neck and back injuriesโ.
The court did not hear evidence about a third woman, aged 19, who gardaรญ stated last Sunday, had presented herself at UHL for injuries allegedly sustained in the incident.
Garda McCormack said gardaรญ had obtained CCTV footage showing a red Audi A4 entering Cornmarket Row, which was busy with โa large crowd of people out socialisingโ at 1.03am on Sunday.
โThe red audi can be seen hitting and knocking down three pedestriansโ she told the court.
Garda McCormack said a red Audi was found by gardaรญ 15 minutes after the incident at Knockalisheen, near Moyross.
โThere was blood visible on the front windscreen and bonnet of the car and it was taken for a technical examination,โ she told the court.
Garda McCormack objected to bail, claiming that Ms McNamara โis a danger to the community and has no concern for other peopleโ.
โShe is a danger to the people of Limerick City, and I believe she will not stand trial if granted bail.โ
โShe is addicted to cannabis and it is my belief that this will lead to her committing further serious offences. Gardaรญ are concerned that she will intimidate witnesses in this case if she granted bail,โ she further alleged.
During cross examination, Garda McCormack agreed with solicitor Sarah Ryan that Ms McNamara โdeclinedโ to have a solicitor present during her interviews with gardaรญ following her arrest, and that she โrefused communications with her mother who is present here in the courtโ.
Ms McNamara was arrested last Sunday and initially charged in court on Monday with three counts of dangerous driving and one count of failing to assist the injured pedestrians.
Garda McCormack told Tuesdayโs bail hearing that gardaรญ were preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions and “it is envisaged that further serious charges will followโ.
โDangerous driving resulted in a hit and run in Cornmarket Row, and this is captured on excellent quality CCTV,โ she told the court.
If convicted, Ms McNamara is facing the possibility of a maximum seven years in jail, the court heard.
Judge Carol Anne Coolican said Ms McNamara was โentitled to her presumption of innocenceโ however, she said, having considered the Garda objections, โthe seriousness of the charges and the nature and strength of the evidence including the CCTVโ, she felt it was โreasonably necessary to prevent further serious offencesโ, and refused bail.
Sheย remanded Ms McNamara in continuing custody to appear before Limerick District Court again on October 26 for directions from the DPP.