Expert to analyse crash data in doctor's daughter's death case
Babak Meshkat, 45, was charged earlier this year following a Garda investigation into a crash on the M6 in Co Westmeath
Lawyers for a doctor accused of dangerous driving causing his six-year-old daughter's death in the Midlands last year will engage an independent expert to analyse his car's crash data before he enters a plea.
Babak Meshkat, 45, of An Cimín Mór, Cappagh Road, Galway, was charged earlier this year following a Garda investigation into a crash on the M6 in Co Westmeath on February 8, 2024.
In March, he was sent forward for trial to the Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court. The case was again listed there before Judge Kenneth Connolly yesterday/today for an arraignment hearing, the procedure where defendants say how they intend to plead.
However, Gerard Groarke BL, for Mr Meshkat, told Judge Connolly yesterday/today that the defence was now seeking additional disclosure of evidence, adding, "There are a couple of areas we wish to investigate".
The barrister elaborated that one included access to and inspection of the car's driver data from a crash module installed in the vehicle.
Judge Connolly heard that the defence had not appointed their own forensic collision expert yet.
The State had already provided a 120-page report from the garda inspection to Mr Meshkat's legal team.
Judge Connolly said it seemed reasonable for the module to be available for inspection by an appropriately qualified person under the correct circumstances and procedures.
He adjourned the case until July 21 for mention and remanded Mr Meshkat on continuing bail.
Dressed in a grey blazer, blue shirt, and dark trousers, he stepped forward when his case was called, then sat silently and did not address the proceedings.
Babak Meshkat
News in 90 Seconds - 5th June 2025
Prosecutor Cathal Ó Braonáin BL told Judge Connolly he had learned about the defence's request for access to the driver data on Wednesday, and there was no objection.
Mr Meshkat's six-year-old daughter, Hana Meshkat, was severely injured in a crash at about 4 pm on the eastbound lane of the motorway between Junction 4, Tyrellspass, and Junction 3, Rochfortbridge on February 8, 2024.
The child passed away at Children's Health Ireland (CHI) hospital at Temple Street in Dublin nine days later.
An investigation file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, which led to the charge being brought in March when he was returned for trial.
A coroner's inquest heard that the young girl had died from multiple traumatic injuries due to a motor vehicle incident. The inquest has been adjourned pending the outcome of the judicial proceedings.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
2 hours ago
- Sunday World
Dad with 53 convictions jailed for sexually exploiting girl he used to babysit
In her victim impact statement the young woman said her life spiralled after the abuse. A 49-year-old Laois father has been jailed for two years for defilement and sexual exploitation of a child he used to babysit. The man, who is Irish heritage but was born in the UK before moving to Ireland as a child, pleaded guilty to defilement of the 15-year-old girl and obtaining a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Co Laois, on dates in 2021. The man, who cannot be identified to protect the anonymity of his victim, was sentenced to two years after appearing in Portlaoise Circuit Court this week. The court heard he had 53 previous convictions for offences including indecency, animal welfare offences, public order offences, indecent communication, breaches of barring orders and road traffic offences. He sat with his head bowed in court as the victim and her family members looked on during his sentencing hearing on Thursday. In her victim impact statement the young woman said her life spiralled after the abuse. 'I was having thoughts that I wanted to take my own life. I couldn't concentrate in school and was thinking about suicide.' She said she started skipping school and running away from home in the aftermath. 'My family did everything they could to get me the help I needed.' She said she got counselling but some days would battle to get to sleep at night. I kept getting nightmares thinking about it. I still think about it. I will never forget what happened.' Detective Garda Ray Dermody told Judge told Judge Keenan Johnson that the girls father reported her missing on November 11 2021 and spoke to gardai again the following day to say he believed she was at the man's house where they later found her. Days later she revealed to gardai that the man had sex with her in the house while she was there and had also digitally penetrated her on another occasion earlier that month. The man was a brother of an ex-girlfriend of the victim's father and the court heard the man previously babysat her and had been chatting to her online and by phone with the conversations turning sexual and very intense. He called her at 6.30am on November 2, 2021 but she missed the call and called him back. The court heard he told her to come out to his house and she initially said she didn't know if she would because she had to go to school. However, he convinced her to ditch school to go to his home. When she arrived he stripped down to his underwear and told her to take her clothes off. He kissed her and took off her underwear before digitally penetrating her. The court heard the girl felt confused after what happened and ended things by saying she needed to go to bathroom. She stayed in his house overnight before going home. On November 11 the man messaged the girl saying he missed her very much and she went over to his home. They went to the bedroom and got undressed before he kissed her and had sex with her. The girl made a complaint to gardai in the days after she was found at the man's home. He initially denied any sexual activity had taken place and said he saw himself as a 'sort of mentor' figure , an 'agony aunt' and a comforting shoulder but 'no more' than that. However, he later came clean and admitted everything. The court heard the man was previously married and had a number of children. He moved to Ireland when he was a child to stay with family here and in his adult life had sporadic work as a painter and gas fitter. In mitigation his defence counsel said the girl wasn't abducted by the man but accepted that society cannot condone his behaviour. Judge Johnson said the man actively initiated sexual contact with a girl who was 'clearly very vulnerable' and described the two offences as 'abhorrent.' He commended the young woman for coming forward and sentenced the man to two years imprisonment.
Irish Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ian Bailey's ashes scattered in west Cork
A sister of Ian Bailey said innocent victim Sophie Toscan du Plantier's family is 'misguided' for believing that he killed her. Kay Reynolds was speaking on Friday when she scattered her brother's ashes near the 1996 death site in west Cork, as he requested. Bailey, who died 16 months ago, was found guilty of French filmmaker Sophie's murder in a trial in France in 2019 without his attendance. Ms Reynolds spoke of how Bailey cherished the area, which he was tied to for legal reasons, and claimed the murder probe impacted his health. She said her sibling 'had nothing to hide' and she expressed sympathy for the family of Sophie. She told Cork's 96fm Opinion Line with PJ Coogan: 'He absolutely loved West Cork with a passion. 'I know there was the warrant that meant he couldn't leave the country and he used to say, 'I wouldn't want to be anywhere else'.' When producer Paul Byrne asked Kay if 'pressure' from the 'murder investigation' contributed to 'his already ill health?', she said: 'Without question.' She added: 'I think if he'd have kept quiet, it would have been better. But that wasn't Ian's style. He felt he didn't need to hide. 'He had nothing to hide. And so he confronted his challenges face on. 'I think it came out very close to the time that there were things, I think, that the gardai felt only someone involved in the crime would have known. I don't think that helped. But as a family, we never thought that he'd done these things because that was his style of journalism. 'When he lived in Gloucester, we were near GCHQ, and he found out all sorts of things that other journalists didn't. 'He thought outside the box and he came up with things that no one else had thought about. And I think that's really what had to happen there and in the end became his downfall, really. He came up with all sorts of ideas around what had happened and that's how he became a suspect.' Kay stated she never questioned her brother's innocence and vowed: 'Never for a second.' She added: 'We never doubted him that he'd been involved in this.' She also expressed sympathy with Sophie's relatives and said: 'A very young mother was brutally murdered. 'I feel so sorry for the family because I think because of their misguided belief that Ian committed the murder, they've just had so many years of torture. 'And I just wish them peace around this. And hopefully the cold case will [help]. It's just not only losing her, but to have no peace and thinking that Ian was the perpetrator and that he's got away with it. 'I can't imagine what that must be like for them. And I just feel so sorry for them.' Taoiseach Micheal Martin claimed last year, when he was Tanaiste, the State let Bailey away with Sophie's murder. After he died in 2024 f rom a suspected heart attack, gardai conducted a search under warrant of his home and seized items, including a laptop computer, memory sticks, notebooks, and materials with DNA.
Sunday World
14 hours ago
- Sunday World
Elderly man (89) who sexually abused young girl jailed for ten years
Sid Green of Kennedy Park, Roscrea, was convicted of 22 counts of rape and one count of sexual assault of the child Sid Green of Kennedy Park, Roscrea, was convicted of 22 counts of rape and one count of sexual assault of the child, on dates between 1993 and 1998. He has no previous convictions. The injured party indicated to the court at a previous hearing that she has no issue with Green being named but she does not wish to be identified. She told the court how the damaging effects of the abuse had been 'far reaching and enduring' and had affected every facet of her existence. The court heard defence submissions that Green, who has recently been resident in a Co Offaly nursing home, has medical issues that would make custody difficult for him. He has been on bail and appeared via video link from the nursing home for his sentence hearings. The prison service have indicated that they will be able to take Green into custody on July 10 next and will be able to accommodate his medical needs. Passing sentence today Mr Justice Patrick McGrath said these were 'appalling offences' noting that Green coldly engaged in a cynical campaign of rape which he perpetrated whenever the opportunity arose. He noted that there has been no remorse shown. Mr Justice McGrath noted the profound impact the offending has had on the woman's life. He said she is a young woman who has shown remarkable resilience and strength and he commended her for the manner in which she dealt with the case and gave her evidence. The CCJ in Dublin. News in 90 Seconds - June 20th He noted the support the young woman had from her husband and parents throughout the process. He noted defence submissions that due to his age any custodial sentence is in effect a life sentence for Green, that he has no prior convictions and that there had been no violence additional to the inherent violence of rape. He said the difficulty which arose in this case was the age of the accused, with the only mitigating factors being his absence of prior convictions and that he had been a productive family man. Mr Justice McGrath set a headline sentence of 16 years, which he reduced to 15 years taking into account the circumstances of the case. He noted that the prison service had liaised with Green's carers and the prison service had formed the view they can accommodate him and deal with his needs from July 10, 2025. Mr Justice McGrath said he had considered the medical reports in the case and while Green has a considerable range of medical difficulties, most are those that would be expected for a man of his age. He said the difficulties mostly relate to mobility and ensuring that Green takes his various medications. Mr Justice McGrath imposed the 15 year sentence, and taking into account Green's advanced age, suspended the final five years of the sentence. It will take effect from July 10, 2025. Detective Garda Oliver Hennelly told George Burns BL, prosecuting, that the woman reported to gardai that the offending began when she just turned seven. Green was 57 years old. The women reported that Green took any opportunity he could to rape her and that it happened many times. The abuse ended when she was about the age of 12 years old. The woman subsequently engaged with mental health services and the rape crisis centre but did not feel ready to go to gardai until after she disclosed the abuse to her own family. The woman made a complaint to gardai in 2020 and when Green was interviewed in 2021, he denied the allegations. He was charged in 2022 and found guilty following a trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Tullamore earlier this year. In her victim impact statement, the woman described the profound and devastating effects that the abuse continues to have on her life as a result of the emotional and psychological damage caused. She described how she battles with fear and trust and how her relationships with family, friends and loved ones have suffered. She outlined how anxiety has transferred into her own parenting. She suffers with depression, flashbacks and nightmares, feels isolated and misunderstood, leaving her with a profound sense of loneliness. She described how she found temporary escape in drugs and alcohol but recognised this led to a destructive cycle, creating a barrier between her and loved ones. She told the court how she felt shame and guilt, despite being the innocent victim in the situation. She said the long term consequences of the abuse are still unfolding but she is determined to seek healing and support. She thanked those who have supported her, especially her husband and said she is ready to 'confront the shadows of the past and step into a hopeful future together.' Dermot Cahill SC, defending, said that Green had moved to Ireland from the UK, raised a family here and had a good work history. His wife passed away in 2013. Counsel asked the court to take into account that the offences occurred over a defined period in the past and Green was now facing sentencing as a 89-year-old man. He outlined a number of medical issues currently affecting Green. He said Green is unable to mobilise or get out of bed without assistance and needs ongoing nursing, which he receives in the nursing home. He submitted that prison will create difficulties for Green from a health perspective. He asked the court to take into account his client's co-operation with gardai and a lack of prior convictions.
