Term increase likely for drink-driving causing death

A man who caused the deaths of three people after driving on the wrong side of the road is facing an increase on his four-year term after an appeal by the DPP.

The Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday found the sentence of four years, with one suspended, given to Kevin McArdle, aged 31, of Longfield, Carrickmacross, at Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court in Oct 2011 for dangerous driving causing death was “unduly lenient”.

McArdle drank almost three and a half times the legal alcohol limit and was on the wrong side of the road when he drove into Stephen Connolly’s car on Dec 27, 2010.

Mr Connolly’s wife Roisin and their unborn child were killed. Glen Curtis and Paul Carroll, passengers in McArdle’s car, also died.

The final year of McArdle’s term was suspended and he was banned from driving for 12 years. He was released on Aug 29, having voluntarily entered custody in May 2011.

Returning judgement, Mr Justice Donal O’Donnell said the appeal court did not accept the offence was a “momentary lapse of concentration”, but found it was an “utterly predictable” consequence of driving after drinking “a large amount of alcohol”.

He said that, as McArdle had little regard for the consequences of his actions and in view of previous drink-driving convictions, the offence was on the higher end of the scale of seriousness.

Mr Justice O’Donnell said the sentencing of McArdle for two months and direct the preparation of reports which would let the court consider whether it would be possible not to extend the custodial portion of the term imposed.