THE FAMILIES of two young people who were among five who died in a horrific road crash in Co Donegal have secured more than €200,000 each in settlement of their High Court actions.
The proceedings were brought against Brendan Henderson (50), Seven Oaks, Waterside, Derry, who was earlier this year jailed for four years after admitting dangerous driving at the scene of the incident at Cross, Quigley’s Point, Inishowen, on October 8th, 2005.
Henderson’s car was on the wrong side of the road when it hit the car in which the five victims, all from the Inishowen peninsula, were travelling. All five died at the scene. They were Rochelle Peoples (22); David Steele (23); Gavin Duffy (21); Charlene O’Connor (21) and Darren Quinn (21).
Liability was conceded in the case. Henderson himself suffered severe injuries and is now in a wheelchair.
In court yesterday, Joseph McGettigan, for Brendan and Annette Duffy, parents of Gavin Duffy, from Meenagorey, Buncrana, said the incident was one of the worst to have ever occurred in the country. His clients had suffered severe mental distress and nervous shock as a result of the incident and the loss of their son.
Proceedings were also brought by Rose Bernadette O’Connor and her husband James, the parents of Charlene O’Connor, of Straboe, Buncrana.
In approving a settlement of €225,000 for the O’Connors and a settlement of €205,000 for the Duffys, Mr Justice Vivian Lavan extended the court’s sympathy to all the families involved in this “terrible, tragic event”. He expressed the hope that compensation would go some way towards helping the families to achieve closure.
The claims were made under the Civil Liability Act and the plaintiffs had sought damages for alleged negligence and breach of duty by the defendant.