Garda chase crash victim 'faced Real IRA death threat'

A young man killed today during a high-speed garda pursuit was facing a Real IRA death threat, it has been revealed.

Paul McMonagle, from Derry, was in a car with his father and another relative when it crashed into a wall just outside the border village of Muff, Co Donegal.

He publicly claimed days ago that he had been threatened by dissident republicans in the city after being accused of a sex attack on a young woman.

Gardaí confirmed the crash occurred at around 1am as officers gave chase.

It is understood a passing patrol spotted the car parked suspiciously on the roadside near Muff before the driver spun the vehicle out on to the road and sped off.

Officers are investigating reports a third man fled the scene after the crash.

“The car collided with a wall,” a garda spokesman said.

“Two men were brought to Letterkenny general hospital following the collision and the passenger, a 22-year-old male, was pronounced dead on arrival.”

It is understood the driver lost control of the car before it struck a wall and flipped over, landing on its roof.

Mr McMonagle, a passenger in the car, was taken to Letterkenny general hospital, Co Donegal but was pronounced dead on arrival.

He is believed to have been shot in the ankle by dissident republicans from the INLA some years ago.

His father, also called Paul, aged in his early 40s, was admitted to hospital with minor injuries and is in a stable condition.

Mary Bradley, SDLP councillor in Derry, knew the family and offered her condolences.

“First and foremost your thoughts have to be with the family of the young person,” she said.

“It is a tragedy for any family to get news like that and no community area likes to hear of young people being killed in a road crash or in any other way.

“Our concerns would have to be with his family.”

The Garda Ombudsman Commission and gardaí have launched separate investigations into the crash.

“Ourselves and the Garda Síochána have agreed to conduct parallel investigations with the gardaí taking the lead,” a Garda Ombudsman spokesman said.

Mr McMonagle, from Leafair Gardens in the Shantallow area of the city, told local newspaper the Derry Journal this week he had been warned by the Police Service of Northern Ireland his life was in danger from the Real IRA.

He also claimed he asked detectives for help in clearing his name but still feared for his life.

A funeral service is planned for Monday morning.