A truck driver who drove through a stop-sign junction, seriously injuring Ireland rugby star Conor Murray’s father, Gerry Murray, has been jailed for 10 months and banned from driving for three years.
Seamus Hanrahan, (53), Kilmore, Granagh, Co Limerick, had previous convictions for drink driving, leaving the scene of a hit and run collision and careless driving, Limerick Circuit Criminal Court heard.
Gerry Murray, (70), Patrickswell was cycling home about 3pm on February 7th, 2023, when Hanrahan, behind the wheel of an articulated truck which was pulling a slurry tanker, struck him.
Judge Colin Daly said Mr Murray “would most likely have been killed if he hadn’t been wearing his helmet”. The helmet had been significantly damaged in the collision, it was heard.
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Mr Murray, married to former Irish international squash player, Barbara Murray, was rushed by ambulance from the scene to University Hospital Limerick (UHL) where doctors diagnosed him with a “severe traumatic brain injury”, a fractured skull, and bleeds to his brain.
He was transferred to Cork University Hospital (CUH) and placed into a medically-induced coma.
In total, Mr Murray spent six weeks at CUH and a further 10 days at St Camillus’ Hospital, Limerick.
Mr Murray wrote in a victim impact statement that, after he woke up from the medical coma he spent the “next five weeks learning to walk and doing all the basic tasks in life”.
“I have constant tinnitus and have lost my hearing in my left ear, and I missed my son’s wedding abroad. Life for me has completely changed. I have been trying hard to get back to pre-accident days, but I am still having rehab for an indefinite of time.”
Hanrahan pleaded guilty to one count of careless driving causing serious bodily harm to Mr Murray, at the N20 Limerick to Cork road, on February 7th, 2023.
Prosecuting barrister, Lily Buckley BL, said Hanrahan “didn’t stop when he should have” at the junction, despite signs clearly instructing him to do so.
Hanrahan’s barrister, Amy Nix BL, asked the court to consider in mitigation that Hanrahan had family responsibilities which required him to be able to drive, and described him as an “upstanding hard working member of his local community”.
“He wishes to apologise publicly to Mr Murray,” said Ms Nix. “It was a momentary lapse of concentration, which had devastating consequences.”
Judge Daly said Hanrahan’s driving had a “significant impact” on Mr Murray and his family.
“There was a high degrees of carelessness and it is difficult to see how he (Hanrahan) failed to see Mr Murray travelling on his bicycle.
The judge considered a headline sentence of 18 months, which he reduced to 10 months, stating he was “satisfied” the threshold for a custodial sentence had been met.
Speaking outside the court afterwards, Mr Murray said he was “pleased” with the sentence on Hanrahan. “Cyclists are so vulnerable, and only for my helmet, as the judge said, I wouldn’t be talking to you here now.”
