A drink-driver in Co Antrim who killed three people, two of them a brother and sister, and left another in a wheelchair has been jailed for six-and-a-half years.
Ballymena Crown Court heard that Darren Kernohan (27) was being chased by the police in the early hours of August 19th, 2001 when he smashed into a car driven by Clements Parkinson.
Mr Parkinson (34), from Forthill in Ballyduff, died along with Mr Alan Walker (33) and his sister Ms Agnes Wilson, both from Mallusk Road in Glengormley. Another of the friends, Mr Gary Ross, will be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
The court heard that Kernohan, from Caulside Park in Antrim, was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit at the time, did not hold a driving licence and was not insured to drive his Toyota MR2.
Prosecution lawyers also told the court that paramedics who were trying to help the victims were attacked by a crowd of people, "to the extent that they had to draw their batons".
Judge David Smyth said he found that "hard to understand", adding that it merely "compounded a fearful tragedy".