Drugs found on man in Tullamore Hospital after collision with van

A MAN involved in a collision near Kilbeggan was fined €1,500 after Tullamore District Court heard drugs were found following the crash.

Judge Andrew Cody was told that Dylan Kinahan, whose 31^st birthday is next week, and with an address in Sallins, Naas, Co Kildare, was taken to hospital after a crash on August 22, 2023.

Mr Kinahan had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, uninsured driving and drugs possession and sentencing was adjourned to this week for victim impact reports.

After Judge Cody was told that no victim impact reports would be put before the court Sergeant Brendan Kearns outlined the facts.

Sergeant Kearns said drugs valued at €468.93 were found when Mr Kinahan was taken to Tullamore Hospital after being in a road traffic collision on the R389 at Loughanaghore, Co Westmeath.

The accused man was driving a Dublin registered 2017 Ford Focus and when he was travelling around a bend at speed he hit a 2017 Citroen Dispatch which had a driver and one passenger and which was coming from the opposite direction.

The court had previously been told Mr Kinahan was driving from Ballinagore towards Kilbeggan and that he struck the side of the van.

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After the collision Mr Kinahan was said to have been acting strangely and complaining of chest pains. He had no previous convictions.

The defendant's solicitor, Patrick Martin, told the court his client was in the throes of drug addiction at the time and had previously attended an addiction counselling course.

Judge Cody fined Mr Kinahan €1,000 for having drugs for the purpose of sale or supply, €500 for dangerous driving and another €500 for having no insurance.

Driving bans of two years each were also imposed for the motoring offences and he was given six months to pay the fines.