A YOUNG man was sentenced to five years in jail yesterday for dangerous driving causing the deaths of two people in Co Louth.
After sentencing, the widow of one of the men killed appealed to young drivers to consider the tragedy that speeding leaves in its wake. “It never ends,” said Marie Campbell whose husband George (64) was one of two men killed by Daniel O’Riordan (21) in the early hours of March 25th, 2007.
O’Riordan was driving a stolen Audi A4 at 131km/h when it smashed into Mr Campbell’s Renault Megane car. The other victim was 17-year-old David Keenan who was a passenger in the Audi and according to O’Riordan was one of his “best and closest friends”.
The collision happened on a section of the Dundalk to Carlingford road where there is a 60km/h speed limit.
Mr Campbell died instantly; he had been turning into the gateway of his home. “I had to move, I couldn’t stay in the house afterwards,” his widow said.
People don’t realise the consequences of such accidents and speeding she said, adding, “I just hope that any young drivers that get into cars without insurance or that are stolen . . . that they think of the consequences of the speed they are driving at and the tragedy they leave in their wake. It is unreal and it never ends.”
O’Riordan from Point Road, Bellurgan, Dundalk, had pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of the men. However, a jury at the end of a six-day trial returned unanimous guilty verdicts.
They had heard O’Riordan told gardaí he bought the Audi for €500 and because of the price he knew it was a ringer (stolen).
As a result of the crash and death of their son, the marriage of David Keenan’s parents has broken down Judge Matt Deery was also told. The family had not approved of David socialising with O’Riordan.
After O’Riordan was sentenced David’s father, David snr, said: “The sentence doesn’t matter to me, it won’t bring David back. I think justice has been done and I would not like to see anyone or any family go through what we have.”
O’Riordan has 23 previous convictions and is serving a 20-month sentence imposed at Dundalk District Court.