Driver avoids jail following fatal crash

A driver has avoided a prison sentence in the first case of careless driving causing death to be dealt with by the courts.

The Director of Public Prosecutions had accepted a plea of guilty to the charge (distinct from the more usual offence of dangerous driving causing death) from Stephen Faughnan following the deaths of his two friends.

Stephen Faughnan, who is in his early 20s and from Ballinalee, Newtownforbes, Co Longford, admitted driving carelessly at Stonepark, Co Longford, causing the deaths of Gavin Doyle, 22, and Thomas Kearney, 22.