A judge has commented “it is the kind of horseplay that gets people killed” after hearing how a woman was dragged along the tarmac by another in a moving car in the seaside resort of Kilkee last year.
At Kilrush District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett made his comments after hearing that is alleged that front seat car passenger, Ava Moloney (21) told driver, Jeffrey Ryan (24) ‘Go! Go!’ before she dragged Sophie Ryan along the length of the Diamond Rocks Cafe car-park last October.
Sgt John Burke told the court that it will be alleged that Mr Ryan drove the length of the Diamond Rocks Cafe car park with Ms Moloney holding into the arm of Sophie Ryan through the open window on October 22nd last dragging the alleged injured party along.
Judge Gabbett commented: “This lady could have been killed if she had gone under the wheels of the car. But for the grace of God that she didn’t.”
Judge Gabbett stated that “it is quite a serious incident and it could have been much more serious”.
Judge Gabbett said that the endangerment charges that Mr Ryan and Ms Moloney are facing are usually associated with serious road traffic collisions.
Mr Ryan of Towerfield, Croom, Co Limerick and Ms Moloney of Hillcrest, Tullovin, Croom, Co Limerick are also both charged with assaulting Ms Ryan causing harm contrary to Section 3 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act on October 22nd last at the Diamond Rocks cafe car-park.
Sgt Burke told the court that Ms Ryan described having a conversation with Ms Moloney in the car-park of the Diamond Rocks cafe.
Sgt Burke said it is alleged that Ms Moloney pulled Ms Ryan’s head into the car by her hair through the fully open window.
Ms Moloney is then alleged to have let go of Ms Ryan’s hair and pulled Ms Ryan’s arm into the car and while doing so, she said to Mr Ryan to ‘Go! Go!’
Sgt Burke said that Mr Ryan drove the full length of the car-park while Ms Moloney held the arm of Ms Ryan which dragged her along the ground during the course of the incident.
Sgt Burke said that the injured party managed to release herself.
Solicitor for the two, Tara Godfrey said that both don’t have a background in criminality.
Ms Godfrey said that the injuries sustained by Ms Ryan are at the lower end of the scale in terms of the assault charges before the court.
Ms Godfrey said that Mr Ryan is to also face a charge of dangerous driving that is due to come before the court in September.
Judge Gabbett said that he is declining jurisdiction in the case which means that the case will now go before the circuit court where more serious penalties apply on conviction.
In the case, Ms Moloney is charged with on October 22nd 2023 at Diamond Rocks, Kilkee, intentionally or recklessly engage in conduct while seated in the front seat passenger seat and shouted at the driver, Jeffrey Ryan to ‘Go! Go!’ while she was holding the arm of Sophie Ryan, subsequently causing Ms Ryan to be dragged along the tarmac surface of the Diamond Rocks cafe car park, Westend, Kilkee which created a substantial risk of death or serious harm to another.
Mr Ryan is charged with on October 22nd 2023 at Diamond Rocks, Kilkee, intentionally or recklessly engage in conduct while knowing that Ms Moloney was holding the arm of Sophie Ryan, through the open front passenger window of the car causing her to be dragged along the ground for a considerable distance, which created a substantial risk of death or serious harm to another.
The two accused are on Garda station bail and Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to September 10th.
