Bail revoked for 'flight risk' dangerous driver

A man facing sentence for dangerous driving causing the death of a Galway woman has had his bail revoked and been put into custody on suspicion that he was going to flee the country.

Anthony Dean (aged 28) had been remanded on continuing bail by Judge Elizabeth Dunne for sentence on December 10 after he was convicted last Friday of dangerous driving causing the death of Ms Clodagh Doyle at Mt Argus Road in the early hours of October 17, 2001.

Dean, a mahcine driver, of Boyne Court, Harolds Cross and Cypress Downs, Templeogue had pleaded not guilty to the charge during his three-day trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Judge Dunne has now remanded him in custody after he was brought back before her following his arrest by gardaí on suspicion that had bought a ticket to move to Holland and not face sentence.

Ms Doyle (aged 22) of Threadneedle Road, Salthill, Galway, was walking on the footpath when a jeep driven by Dean struck her. She suffered a fractured pelvis with some other injuries to her right thigh and died some days later in hospital from a septic infection.

Dean, a father of one, told the jury that he had no memory of being in his jeep before the accident other than seeing "bright lights" in his eyes before the accident and this had annoyed him.

Mr Brendan O’Brien, a Bus Átha Cliath driver, told the jury he was going to his depot when he saw a jeep approach him on its wrong side. He flashed his lights and the jeep moved over.

Garda Frank Berry told prosecuting counsel, Mr Fergal Foley BL, he got a smell of drink from Dean at the scene of the accident and arrested him on suspicion of driving while intoxicated but the alcohol test revealed he was more than half under the legal limit.

Mr Patrick Plunkett, consultant in emergency medicine at St James' Hospital, said Ms Doyle was "very unwell" but conscious and lucid after she was admitted.

"She was afraid she might die," Mr Plunkett said. X-rays and a CT scan revealed she had a badly-fractured pelvis. Her injuries were serious and life-threatening as a result of the accident.

Mr Plunkett said he gave instructions at 2.30am on October 17 for her treatment. She was moved to the orthopaedic department and he learned she died on October 20.

Mr Plunkett agreed with defence counsel, Mr Conor Devally SC (with Mr Shane Costelloe BL) that the cause of Ms Doyle’s death was an infection arising from a internal tear of her rectum which hadn’t been picked up in the scans.