A Wexford motorist who skipped bail on a dangerous driving charge before being extradited from Britain to the Republic after appearing on a television game show was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison today.
Michael Furlong, of Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Natalie Freeman (15) in March 2002.
Ms Freeman was a passenger in a car driven by Mr Furlong which hit a wall near Bagnalstown, Co Carlow, in the early hours of the morning of March 15th 2002.
Two other passengers escaped with minor injuries.
Furlong had failed to turn up in court to face the dangerous driving charge and then appeared on a Channel 4 game show, Boys and Girlslast March where he won more than euro 150,000.
Furlong told the court he wished to apologise to the Freeman family. "That is genuine. I am genuinely sorry, she was a very good friend of mine," he said.
Judge Michael O'Shea said he was satisfied the apology was a genuine act of contrition by the defendant and taking all mitigating factors into consideration he sentenced the defendant to three and a half years in prison, suspending the last year of the sentence, effective from May 9th,
He imposed a three month sentence for driving without insurance, endorsed the conviction on his licence and suspended him from driving for 15 years. Leave to appeal was refused.