Mayo motorist who killed his best friend in a crash fails to get licence restored
Judge Eoin Garavan refused an application to restore driving licence to Swinford man who was convicted of dangerous driving causing death in 2022
A Mayo man who was disqualified from driving for six years in 2022 after he was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of his best friend failed in a bid to restore his driving licence.
Martin Ditchburn (27) of Teeside Cottage, Midfield, Swinford applied for a restoration of his driver licence at a sitting of Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court last week.
The court heard that on September 24, 2020, Mr Ditchburn was involved in a road traffic accident which resulted in the death of his best friend Jason Killeen (19) along the N60 at Coolnafarna, Ballyhaunis.
Mr Ditchburn who was driving a 2.2 litre Honda Accord which he purchased the day previously lost control at a bend and the car struck a tree which resulted in the death of Mr Killeen of Cullatinny, Knock at the scene.
An investigation at the scene found that three of the tyres were below the legal limit and Mr Ditchburn had cannabis in his blood. A report into the death also found that the bend could be safely manoeuvred at 160km per hour.
Mr Ditchburn pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and received a three year suspended sentence and was disqualified from driving for six years on October 26, 2022.
The application to restore the licence was objected to by An Garda Síochána and the family of Jason Killeen. Sergeant Paul Connolly, told Ms Louise Cresham, State Solicitor for Mayo, that after speaking to Lorraine Killeen, mother of the deceased, she was very upset to hear of the application.
The court heard that she was of the opinion that Mr Ditchburn should never hold a licence again and she had a fear of meeting him driving on the road.
Mr Diarmuid Connolly, counsel for Mr Ditchburn said his client has not driven since his conviction and Sgt Connolly confirmed he has not come to the attention of the garadí. Mr Connolly said his client lost his best friend in the accident and accepted responsibility for what he did.
He explained that he works in a depot at Knock Airport and starts work at 5am and has to be dropped off by his mother. He said there was a possibility of him getting a position of a driver at the depot if his licence is restored.
Mr Connolly said his client has served two thirds of his disqualification which entitles him to make the application for restoration
However, Judge Eoin Garavan rejected the application saying that the sentence he imposed at the time could have been considered lenient and was not prepared to give his licence back.