A Castlefin woman has admitted her part in a serious road traffic collision which left a 10-year-old girl with “catastrophic” injuries.
Geraldine Havlin, who appeared at Falcarragh District, will now go before Letterkenny Circuit Court.
Havlin will go forward to the Circuit Court on a signed guilty plea.
Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has consented for the accused to be sent forward to the next sitting of the Circuit Court.
Havlin, a 59-year-old of Dungorman, Castlefin, spoke only to confirm that it was her signature on the signed plea.
Judge Ciaran Liddy made an order returning Havlin to the Circuit Court in relation to the sole count, a charge that she did drive a vehicle without due care and attention thereby causing serious bodily harm to another person at Fanmore, Falcarragh on July 13, 2023.
The charge is contrary to section 52 (1) and 52 (2) (a) of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 as substituted by section 4 of the Road Traffic (No 2) Act 2011.
Judge Liddy made a section 56 order, relating to recordings of interviews, and administered the alibi warning.
Barrister for Havlin, Mr Simon Gillespie BL, instructed by PA Dorrian & Co Solicitors, told the court that the injuries sustained by the child were “horrific”, “very serious” and “catastrophic”.
Mr Gillespie asked that legal aid be extended to cover a second counsel.
Previously, Judge Éiteáin Cunningham refused jurisdiction after hearing of the nature of the injuries.
The court was previously informed that the accused woman suffered a broken sternum in the incident.
Garda Liam O’Riordan told an earlier sitting of Falcarragh District Court that the driver of the other car sustained a broken collar bone, while the child, a passenger in the second vehicle, initially suffered a broken wrist and internal bleeding.
The girl was released that night but two days later was readmitted to hospital having felt unwell. She was diagnosed with a hematoma, caused by the seatbelt of the vehicle arising from the collision.
The court heard that the girl underwent skin graft and had in excess of 30 operations.
Medical reports from two hospitals were shown to Judge Cunningham, who subsequently refused jurisdiction.
