A drunk driver who crashed his car after a night out, killing four young friends, was jailed for seven years yesterday and banned from driving for 12 years.
Daniel McDonnell (21), Galloon Gardens, Newtownbutler, Co Fermanagh, was also told to serve a year on probation and undertake alcohol management classes after his release.
Judge David McFarland, sentencing him at Dungannon Crown Court, said it was difficult to see "any evidence of real remorse" on McDonnell's behalf over the deaths of his friends.
Beauty therapy student Danica O'Rourke (17), Anita Swift (16), Peter Leonard (21) and Jonathan McDonald (21) were all back-seat passengers in McDonnell's Honda Civic car which spun out of control and smashed into a tree on the Murlough Road, Lisnaskea in the early hours of July 2nd, 2000.
None was wearing a seat-belt and all four were killed. A fifth passenger, the driver's cousin Daniel John McDonald (20), was seriously injured.
The court heard McDonnell had been caught speeding on the same stretch of road in Co Fermanagh five months before the crash and again three months after it.
McDonnell admitted causing the deaths and grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving. Other charges including death by driving with excess alcohol, driving whilst unfit and without due care and attention, were not proceeded with.
He showed no emotion as sentence was passed. Judge McFarland said he had received letters from the families and could not help but be moved by them. "The families have indicated no remorse has been shown or expressed directly or indirectly to them," he said.
The judge said that the cause of the accident was clear and simple. As McDonnell was driving out of Lisnaskea he was already speeding and had chosen to ignore advice from Daniel McDonald to "take it easy".
What speed he was actually doing was "impossible to state", said the judge, although Mr McDonald had estimated it was between 60mph and 70mph (95-112km/h).
The driver of a taxi which was forced off the road in order to avoid McDonnell's Honda later told police the car "was flying past at high speed", the judge added.
After clambering from the wreckage the defendant told a police officer at the scene: "I have been drinking, I am drunk," said prosecuting counsel Liam McColum QC.
Outside the Co Tyrone court families of his victims echoed Judge McFarland's view that McDonnell had shown them no remorse.
Sandra Swift, speaking on behalf of the families, said that since the tragedy they had had to witness McDonnell continue to drive "and live his life as if nothing had ever happened, never once showing any sign of remorse".
However, Fr Brian D'Arcy told the court McDonnell had come to him for help after the crash. Giving evidence as a character witness, he said McDonnell "is aware of the enormity of what happened and accepts his guilt and he is genuinely trying to be repentant and remorseful".