Youth on car deaths charge extradited

A youth charged with dangerous driving causing the death of two teenagers almost three years ago is to be extradited from London today. Following his extradition, David Naughton (17) will appear at Kilrush District Court tomorrow over the execution of a bench warrant for his arrest, outstanding since he absconded in February 2004.

Mr Naughton was apprehended by the authorities in London in March and has spent time in custody since then. He absconded while on bail as he faced the charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Kilkee friends and neighbours, Stacey Haugh (16) and Lorna Mahony (13) from Kilkee, Co Clare, at Moyarta, Carrigaholt, on October 17th, 2003.

Stacey's younger brother Karl was injured in the crash. The three were passengers in the car Mr Naughton was driving.

At the time of the crash, Mr Naughton was living in Westside House, a unit for homeless adolescents in Galway city where residents are allowed to leave the unit unaccompanied.

The book of evidence is expected to be served before the next sittings of Ennis Circuit Court in October. As Mr Naughton is likely to be remanded in custody, priority is expected to be given to the case for an early hearing. The victims' families have been frustrated over the past three years in the lack of movement on the case.

At a district court remand hearing in January 2004, the youth pleaded with Judge Joseph Mangan to be granted bail after he told the court that he was assaulted three times while in custody at St Patrick's Institution in Dublin. He had been remanded to the institution after he breached his bail conditions.

Only medical evidence was heard at the inquests into the deaths of the teenagers in June 2004 before they were adjourned by Clare County Coroner, Isobel O'Dea, due to the ongoing criminal proceedings.