Courts

Crash that killed two children ‘every parent’s worst nightmare’, court hears

Boy (15) pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death of two 14-year-old friends in Co Galway

A table of remembrance in Presentation College Headford, Co Galway, for pupils Lukas Joyce and Kirsty Bohan who died in a car crash. Photograph: Presentation College Headford
A table of remembrance in Presentation College Headford, Co Galway, for pupils Lukas Joyce and Kirsty Bohan who died in a car crash. Photograph: Presentation College Headford
Ronan Judge
Fri Jul 05 2024 - 17:20

A judge has described as “every parent’s worst nightmare” the circumstances of a crash that resulted in the deaths of two children in north Galway last year.

Judge Brian O’Callaghan was speaking at Galway Circuit Court at the sentencing hearing of a 15-year-old boy who pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving causing death.

Kirsty Bohan (14) and Lukas Joyce (14), died following the single vehicle collision that occurred at Glennagarraun, Headford in the early hours of Easter Monday, April 10th, 2023.

The boy also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to a teenage girl arising out of the same incident. He further admitted charges of driving without insurance and the use of a mechanically propelled vehicle without the consent of its owner, Christy Bohan.

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After hearing evidence in the case, Judge O’Callaghan said a detention order would not be appropriate. He made an order binding the boy to the peace, under section 98 of the Children’s Act.

The court heard the crash occurred at about 5.40am, when the Volkswagen Passat driven by the then 13-year-old boy, crashed into a tree just after a bend on the L6127, a minor country road.

Lukas Joyce, a front seat passenger, died at the scene and Kirsty Bohan was pronounced dead a short time later at University Hospital Galway,

A now 15-year-old girl, who survived the crash, suffered what was described in court as extensive injuries.

Garda Donal Hallinan told the court that no alcohol and drugs were present in the driver. He said that at the time of collision, it was dark, conditions were described as wet and there were showers in the area.

A Garda investigation determined that the four friends had arranged via Snapchat to go out on the night.

Garda Hallinan told the court that phone messages indicated that Kirsty Bohan waited for her father to leave for work before driving the Volkswagen Passat to meet the others.

The court was told that the girl who survived the crash was the only member of the group who did not drive the car on the morning in question. The court heard the now 15-year-old boy, who was driving just before the collision, co-operated fully with gardaí.

Of the moments before the crash, the boy later told gardaí, “I don’t know what it was. I was turning the corner. The car just went. I couldn’t stop it.”

The court also heard details of the lives of the two victims.

Garda Hallinan agreed with defence barrister Michael F Collins SC, that the group were engaged in “quite innocent fun” in the hour leading up to the fatal crash.

The garda also agreed that the accused has no previous convictions and “at all times” wanted to face up and accept responsibility for what happened.

In sentencing Judge O’Callaghan said the harm done is so “tragic and specific”.

“This case is quite simply every parent’s worst nightmare” he added.

Judge O’Callaghan told the families present that “no parent should feel in anyway guilty about what happened. There are enough to victims in this case”.

He noted the accused’s young age, good record and the fact there was no issue with drink or drugs. The boy, in the company of his mother, entered into a bond to keep the peace.