Woman struck by driver with fake insurance disc, inquest hears

A girl-guide captain died after she was struck by a car driven by a Chinese national who bought a fake insurance disc for his BMW, an inquest heard.

Bláthnaid Cadwell (23) of Beech Lawn, Dundrum, Dublin 14 suffered fatal head injuries in the incident on February 23rd, 2002. She was taken to St James's Hospital where she later died.

Ms Cadwell, a communications graduate who followed her father, former RTÉ cameraman Bill Cadwell into television media, was described as a successful, outgoing woman 'with so much to give.'

“In her 23 years she had a wonderful life, she had achieved so much; a good degree, the job she wanted. It is only when she is gone that you realise what an impact she had,” her mother Mary Cadwell said.

The driver of the car, Liu Yang, was 24 at the time and was working and studying in Ireland. He was driving a BMW he bought two weeks previously. Arrested and charged with dangerous driving causing death, Mr Yang fled the country on a fake passport the day before he was due to appear in court.

Ms Cadwell had attended a girl-guide event at her local parish hall the night before she died. She stayed the overnight with a friend and was on her way home when the incident happened.

Witness Michael Mooney said he saw the BMW travelling at up to 100km/h in a 50 km/h zone. “I saw the back of the car sliding out, I thought he is going to be in trouble and turned back,” he said. He called an ambulance when he saw Ms Cadwell lying on the footpath .

In a statement taken by gardaí , Mr Yang said he had a Chinese driving licence but had failed the driver theory test in Ireland.

“I was driving to a friend’s house, I never got there. I saw a girl on the footpath. As I was driving up Beaumont Avenue I could not control the car, the road was wet,” he said.

Mr Yang left the country on October 24th, 2002, a day before he was due to appear in court .

A bench warrant was issued for his arrest but Garda inquiries revealed he had returned to China on a fake passport. There is no extradition treaty between Ireland and China but Garda Donal Ryan said the case remains open and if Mr Yang appears in any European country he can be sent back for trial.

First opened in 2002, the inquest concluded with a narrative verdict - due to the outstanding charge - from a jury at Dublin Coroner’s Court. The case remains open.