Dublin man jailed for dangerous driving

A north Dublin man has been jailed for a year by Judge Martin Nolan for dangerous driving causing the death of one of his closest friends when racing another car in Lusk two years ago.

Keith Barry (25), of Ministers Road, Lusk was racing the other car on the Old Belfast Road when his car hit a wall seriously injuring his front seat passenger, Paul Callaghan (24), who died in hospital two weeks later.

Barry pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing the death of the young Balrothery man at Corduff on March 27, 2006.

Judge Nolan said he had no doubt that Barry was a "hard working young man" who was suffering remorse as a result of Mr Callaghan's death but said his behaviour on the night had been "intentionally reckless."

Judge Nolan imposed a one year sentence and disqualified him from driving for two years.

Garda Vincent Healy told prosecuting counsel, Mr Sean Gillane BL, that gardaí attending at the scene of the crash at 10.30 p.m found Mr Callaghan lying on the road conscious but with a serious head injury.

He was taken to Beaumont Hospital by ambulance but never recovered and died two weeks later.

Gda Healy said Barry admitted at the scene to being the driver of one of the cars. He told gardai he had been racing the other car along the road after "a little horseplay" when its driver attempted to overtake him.

Barry said the cars struck each other and his car began to swerve towards a pole which he steered right to avoid and instead hit the wall. He said he had attempted to grab Mr Callaghan but passed out.

He told gardaí he had been driving at about 70 miles per hour and they both had their seat belts on.

Gda Healy said the Callaghan family were not in court but stated in their victim impact statement that they had suffered trauma on their son's death and missed him but derived support from their extended family.

He said Barry had one previous conviction but had not come to any further garda attention.

Gda Healy agreed with defence counsel, Ms Isobel Kennedy SC (with Ms Libby Charlton BL), that Barry had been "devastated" by the loss of one his friends in an incident that lasted a matter of seconds.

He also agreed that the driver of the other car, Derek Hogan, had been dealt with in the District Court where he received a fine, disqualification and a six month suspended sentence.

Ms Kennedy said Barry had suffered huge remorse since the incident and had been "anxious, extremely stressed and unable to sleep". She said his grief at the death of his friend was not selfish and he was daily concerned with how the death had effected the Callaghan family.

She described Barry as "a quiet, hardworking, naïve, unfortunate individual with learning difficulties" who had a very good work record. He had co-operated with gardaí and there was no suggestion that alcohol had been involved.

Ms Kennedy added: "He has to bear the terrible burden of his behaviour and accepts it was absolutely wrong."