TEENAGER PLEADS GUILTY TO DANGEROUS DRIVING IN THE COUNTY KILLING FRIEND

Date Published: 01-Dec-2010

A teenage driver has pleaded guilty to causing the death of his best friend by driving dangerously in a “banger” of a car with virtually no brakes in the county last year.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named due to his age, pleaded guilty before Galway Circuit Criminal Court to driving his vehicle dangerously at a location in the county on November 22 last year.

Garda Shane Prendergast told the hearing that the boy bought the 1998 Mayo registered Citroen Xzara car from a neighbour, on November 17, just five days before the fatal crash, for €85 cash and a dozen oysters.

He said the seller had warned the then 16-year-old that the brakes in the car were very bad.

Judge Groarke told the families of both young men that one young man lay dead in a ditch that night because the other ignored the rule of law.

Judge Groarke deferred sentencing to March 23 next to give the accused time to sit exams.