Suspended sentence for driver found speeding ahead of fatal crash
A 46-year-old driver, who was found speeding as he followed the car that was involved in a crash that claimed the lives of two teenagers who were on their way to their Debs in Co Monaghan almost two years ago, has been given an 18-month suspended sentence.
Alin Sorin Gatea of Carn Heights, Clones, Co Monaghan, appeared before a sitting of Monaghan District Court to face five counts of dangerous driving at various locations between Clones and Monaghan on 31 July 2023.
On that date, best friends Kiea McCann, 17, and Dlava Mohamed, 16, died when the car they were travelling in left the road and struck a tree at Legnakelly, just outside Clones.
Anthony McGinn, with an address at Drumloo, Newbliss, Co Monaghan, previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of the two teenagers.
Last month, the 61-year-old, who had offered to drop the girls to their Debs in Monaghan town on the evening in question, was jailed for seven years at Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court.
Gatea, a father-of-four and a Romanian national, subsequently pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving before Monaghan District Court.
The court was told that Gatea was driving his own 19-year-old son and his son's debs partner to the Westenra Arms Hotel in Monaghan town when the incident took place.
Dash-cam footage was played to the court which showed the factory worker's BMW travelling at speed behind McGinn's white BMW prior to the fatal collision
Garda Inspector Ann-Marie Lardner told the court that forensic examinations had been carried out and the dash-cam footage of the incident from Gatea's vehicle had been examined.
Ms Lardner said that Gatea was found to have been travelling at a minimum speed of 145km/h and a maximum speed of 151km/h on the N54 between a service station and the New Line junction.
The court was told that this was close to or double the 60km/h and 80km/h speed limit zones on the road in question.
Defence solicitor Catherine Taaffe told the court that there had been "no joint enterprise" or suggestion that her client had been acting in concert with the other car.
Ms Taaffe also said that Gatea had voluntarily handed in the dash-cam footage shown in court, which had helped the State in bringing someone else to justice for a much serious crime.
Members of Kiea McCann's family, who were in court, reacted angrily when it was put to Judge Raymond Finnegan there had been no indication of any racing element being involved.
The judge said he understood that the family were angry and upset but he said the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed him in this way over the dangerous driving charges and he can only act on what is before him.
Judge Finnegan then handed Gatea three separate six-month suspended sentences for different dangerous driving episodes. The sentences are to run consecutively and were suspended for a duration of two years.
The judge also disqualified the 46-year-old factory worker from driving for four years.
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