A Limerick man who caused the deaths of two of his close friends through reckless driving while fleeing a garda patrol has been sentenced to four years in jail.
Judge Frank O'Donnell suspended the last year of the sentence at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and said this was not an accident but a horrific crime. He said another car or an innocent pedestrian could have been involved.
John Casey (25), Brookfield Halting Site, Tallaght and South Hill Park, Limerick, pleaded guilty last February to dangerous driving causing the deaths of Mr John Donaghue and Mr John Casey on Fortunestown Lane on November 27th, 2000.
The court previously heard Casey picked up three passengers, the two deceased and another friend, at St Maelraun’s halting site around midday on November 27th. He was living in St Aidan’s halting site at the time.
The four men went to Co Wicklow and spent the day drinking in pubs. They returned to the Tallaght area that evening where they met a garda van. Casey drove off at speed, with the van in pursuit.
They met another garda patrol coming from the Tallaght area. Casey turned the car around and made off up Fortunestown Lane.
The gardaí lost sight of the car but continued the chase. A short distance down the road, they found the car crashed at the gate of a house.
An ambulance was called and took the injured and dead occupants to Tallaght hospital. The two deceased died as a result of their injuries while the fourth occupant of the car had broken limbs. Casey had injuries to his face and leg.
Judge O'Donnell said it was a very tragic case as the three men were very close but due to his reckless attitude to driving, the defendant was a danger to society and must be given a custodial sentence.