A man (22) whose dangerous driving caused the deaths of two young passengers in his uninsured car, was on Tuesday sentenced to six years in prison and disqualified from driving for 20 years.
Francis (Frank) Carr was injured in the early morning impact in which Orla O’Malley (18) and Sean Halloran (20) were killed but he later left for the United States. He has been in custody here since he was extradited from the US on foot of a warrant last December and arrested on his arrival at Dublin Airport.
Carr, from Cappaghduff, Tourmakeady, Co Mayo, had pleaded guilty at a previous court to dangerous driving at Churchfield, Tourmakeady, on June 4th, 2017 causing the two deaths.
Student psychiatric nurse Orla O'Malley of Cross, Co Mayo and sheep farmer Sean Halloran of Clonbur, Co Galway were passengers in the Lexus car. Carr owned the Lexus but was uninsured to drive the vehicle.
Sgt Margaret O’Connor told Tuesday’s sentencing hearing at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court that the trio had been returning from a Comortas Peile na Gaeltachta GAA event in Tourmakeady when the car crashed into a pillar. Carr, a well-known local sportsman, had come back from London to participate in the event.
Reports were given to gardaí of a car being driven erratically between 3.30am and 4am in the area.
Sgt O’Connor, who attended the scene, said it was clear that Mr Halloran, who was slumped in the car, was dead from what she described as “catastrophic injures”.
Ms O’Malley was taken to hospital where she was placed on life support but died later without regaining consciousness.
Sgt O’Connor said Carr initially told gardaí he did not know who had been driving the vehicle. After his discharge from hospital he was interviewed twice by gardaí and stated he did not remember anything about the crash but accepted he was the driver.
A file was sent to the DPP but while gardaí were awaiting directions Carr left for the UK and subsequently travelled to the US.
After a video was posted on YouTube in August 2018 showing Carr participating in a boxing tournament in Chicago, gardaí secured an extradition warrant. Carr unsuccessfully fought the extradition process.
‘Devastating pain’
In a victim impact statement, Geraldine Halloran, who lost her only son, Sean, addressed Carr. “I hope when you serve your time you will see the devastation you have caused us.
“You said you were friends [of the deceased] but friends don’t run away.”
Dolores O’Malley, who lost her only daughter, also addressed the driver: “Frank Carr, you have left us in devastating pain.
“They say time will tell but no amount of time will heal our broken hearts”.
Carr, addressing the court, expressed his condolences to both families and the community. He “wholeheartedly apologised” for the tragedy which was “one hundred per cent” his fault. He said he thinks of the accident 100 times a day and stayed up at night thinking why God had taken them and not him.
Judge MacCabe said the incident was a tragedy which had robbed two families and a wide circle of friends of two talented young people.
The judge said Carr had driven while drunk, had initially denied he had been driving and avoided the legal process by moving away. The judge said his decision to remain away remains a cause of distress for the families.
“The effects on the families have been truly heartbreaking,” the judge said.