TURLOUGHMORE MAN GETS 2 YEARS FOR FATAL CRASH KILLING TWO

Date Published: 10-Jul-2008

A 21 year old Turloughmore man has been sentenced to two years in prison for dangerous driving causing the deaths of his two best friends and seriously injuring his cousin in a crash at Loughgeorge last summer.

Brian Murphy of Grange, Turloughmore, had earlier pleaded guilty in the Circuit court on June 3rd to dangerous driving at Peak, Tuam Road, Loughgeorge on June 6 last year.

The court heard that Brian Murphy was driving his two best friends and his cousin home on June 6 last year when he lost control of the car at the junction of the Roscommon road off the N17 main Tuam to Galway road at 3.45 am.

Inside the Toyota Corolla were 19 year old Liam Loughlin of Cregboy, Claregalway, 19 year old Niall Greaney of Claregalway and his cousin the then 19 year old Keith Hession.

The car collided with a wall at approximately 90 miles per hour according to Sergeant Seamus O’Regan.

Niall Greaney was pronounced dead at the scene, while Liam Loughlin died of his injuries in hospital .

Keith Hession fractured his spine and broke his left leg in two places but has since made a full recovery.

Sgt O’Regan told the court that Murphy admitted to Gardai after he was arrested that he had drank 4 pints of Guinness and a can of Bulmers cider before driving his friends home from Fallons Bar in Turloughmore where he had been working.

He also admitted he had taken the junction at 90 miles an hour but said his brakes didn’t work.

Sergeant O’Regan concluded Murphy lost control of his car while attempting to take the bend at speed.

Testifiying in court, Brian Murphy broke down in tears as he apologised to both families and said Niall and Liam were his best friends.

In passing sentence Judge Raymond Groarke said Murphy too was a victim of his own stupidity and his own decisions and there must be a price to pay for that.

He sentenced him to two years in prison and disqualified him from driving for ten years.