A central witness in the Mr Moonlight murder trial was today given a fully suspended one-year jail sentence and a one-year driving ban, after she admitted a charge of careless driving causing the death of a “master craftsman” carpenter, three years ago.
The fatal collision occurred on the N24 Waterford to Limerick road, close to an entrance to Bansha Woods, Spring House, Bansha, Co Tipperary, around 12.45pm, on December 28, 2021. The road however, was not clear, and the Passat collided with a motorcycle being driven by Mr Connolly, who was carrying his fifteen year old son David Connolly as a pillion passenger. The father and son had been participating in a charity bike event at the time. Mr Connolly died from his injuries in hospital on January 2nd.
Another witness, Philip Kiely, another participant in the charity bike run on the day, who was traveling behind Mr Connolly, told gardai that a car “shot out in front of him , Paddy had nowhere to go” Mr Kiely said he saw Mr Connolly propel “up in the air, and his son went over him” on impact with this car.
Mr Cody said Ms Lowry, who had no previous convictions, had lost her own husband tragically to cancer, leaving her to raise her three children alone. He said Ms Lowry was “well known” after appearing before the Central Criminal Court in 2019 as an “essential witness in a high profile murder trial that led to the prosecution of the accused in that trial, it was a very difficult and traumatising time for her”.