Garda tells court of ABS cable fault in bus

A garda who arrived at the scene of a fatal bus crash in which five Meath schoolgirls were killed has told a jury that he examined the underside of the vehicle and found two ABS cables were disconnected or broken.

Garda James Egan, a public service vehicle inspector with An Garda Síochána, said he regarded the broken cables as "significant" and he also noted a "DIY job" where cable ties had connected the ABS cables to the brake pad.

He told Mr Brendan Grehan SC, prosecuting, that the bus was lying on its side on the left hand side of the road and was facing in the direction of Navan. He was aware it had travelled from Navan before it collided with two vehicle four miles outside the town.

Mr Joe McArdle, a director, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on behalf of McArdles Test Centre Ltd, to two charges of failing to note the ABS warning light on the bus was not operational while conducting a vehicle test on March 15, 2005, two months before the tragedy.

A second company, Keltank Ltd of Balbriggan, pleaded guilty yesterday through company secretary Sonya Kelly, that being aware that ABS sensor leads were disconnected it failed to ascertain whether a hazard arose as a consequence thereof before returning the bus to the driver, Mr John Hubble, on May 5, 2005.

Gda Egan said he supervised the removal of the bus and the two other cars involved in the accident to a garage in Co Louth where all the three vehicles remained in garda custody.

He carried out a detailed examination of the bus two days later and found that the normal brakes were in "excellent condition", the condition of the tyres complied with regulations and the steering system had no defects and was well maintained.

The trial continues before Judge McCartan and a jury of five men and seven women.