Donegal man jailed for killing two in car crash

A Donegal man has been sentenced to 21/2 years imprisonment on two counts of dangerous driving causing death.

A Donegal man has been sentenced to 21/2 years imprisonment on two counts of dangerous driving causing death.

Kieran Mulligan of Ballyshannon, who pleaded guilty to the charges, received two 2 1/2-year sentences to run concurrently for dangerous driving causing the death of Laurence Reilly and Sarah Woods, of Co Monaghan.

The collision occurred at 2.30 a.m. on February 8th, 1998, on the Belleek-Ballyshannon Road at Clyhore. Mulligan's car, which was on the wrong side of the road on a corner marked with continuous white lines, hit the car being driven by Mr O'Reilly.

Garda Brian Dalton said Mr Reilly's car caught fire immediately. Passers-by stopped and helped the passengers from the car, but he could not be freed before flames engulfed the vehicle.

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Ms Wood died four days later in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, from injuries sustained in the crash. Garda Dalton described the scene as very traumatic.

Relatives of the deceased addressed the court, asking for "the stiffest sentence possible to be handed down".

Mr P.J. Woods said the death of his sister had been like "a handgrenade thrown into the middle of a close family".

He could not bring some family members to court, as they were still bitter. He said they were "depending on the law to do justice and make sure the right thing happens".

When Mulligan left the court on Wednesday evening, members of the Wood and Reilly families tried to approach him and a fracas involving gardai ensued.

Mr Reilly, father of Laurence Reilly, also addressed the court and asked for the stiffest sentence to be handed down. He said if the tables had been reversed, his son would have been unable to live with himself.

Mr Reilly said: "If he goes to prison, his family can still see him and hug him. I have only a gravestone to hug."

He concluded by calling on Judge Mathew Deery to send a message to those who continue the slaughter on the roads every week. Passing sentence, Judge Deery outlined the facts of the case. He said all the families involved, including the Mulligans, have "suffered terribly". He said he felt sure that terrible night would never be forgotten by Mulligan, who had an exemplary record.

He said there were reports in court that Mulligan would find a custodial sentence very difficult, but he had to take into consideration the irreparable loss of the families of the deceased.

Ms Ellie Woods, a sister of the deceased, who also addressed the court, indicated afterwards that she was happy with the sentence and thanked the judge.