A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to eight months in prison after striking an eight-year-old boy with his car and fleeing the scene while driving as an uninsured and unaccompanied learner driver.
Dennis Dunne, of Kilmahuddrick Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to careless driving causing serious bodily harm on May 25, 2024.
Child Suffered Serious Injuries
The court heard the young victim sustained two fractures just above his ankle, required surgery, and was confined to a wheelchair for six months. He was bedridden for a period and missed the final months of the school year. His parents were forced to take time off work for his care, and the family had to cancel their summer holiday.
A witness described seeing three boys on bikes and scooters moments before hearing a loud bang and watching the child “go up in the air.” The boy was found with a badly injured leg, repeatedly asking for his mother. His father arrived shortly after, and an ambulance was called. The car responsible had already driven away.
Driver Fled in Panic
Gardaí identified Dunne as the driver the following day. He attended a Garda station on May 29, stating he had panicked and fled. He claimed he slowed down for a speed ramp and did not see the boy emerge from his blind spot. “I did not know what to do – I was in shock,” he told gardaí, adding that he had not realised he was legally required to remain at the scene.
Dunne expressed remorse, apologising to the family and asking for forgiveness. He had been driving a Volkswagen Golf registered to his mother, without her permission, without insurance, and on a provisional licence. He previously had convictions for driving unaccompanied and failing to display learner plates, as well as a drug offence.
Impact on the Child and Family
The boy’s mother said in her victim-impact statement that her son is now clingy, has lost confidence and independence, and “is no longer the happy-go-lucky chap he was.” A minor curvature remains in his leg, which requires ongoing medical monitoring. The child, in his own statement, said he remembers the moment of impact but “doesn’t want to remember it.”
Defence: ‘He Is Disgusted With Himself’
Defence counsel Sarah-Jane O’Callaghan BL said her client comes from a law-abiding family and has stayed out of trouble since the incident. She said Dunne is “disgusted with himself” and has “a hatred with himself for what he did,” adding that he takes his responsibilities as a father to his one-year-old child very seriously. Dunne brought €3,000 to court as a gesture of remorse, which the family declined; he has offered it to charity instead.
“It was a very significant mistake… a freakish accident that will remain with him for a very long time,” Ms O’Callaghan said.
Judge’s Remarks
Judge Martin Nolan said Dunne was “probably going a little bit too fast and the child stepped out,” adding that he believes the boy will “make a good recovery.” However, the judge emphasised that Dunne should not have been driving at all, given he was a learner, uninsured, and had taken the car without permission.
“He has many good points,” the judge said, “but he cannot behave in this way,” before imposing an eight-month custodial sentence.
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