Boy (14) pleads guilty to dangerous driving causing death in tragic Headford crash

A 14-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of two teenagers in Headford last year.

The single-vehicle crash at Glennagarraun, outside Headford, just three miles from the Mayo/Galway border, took the lives of Kirsty Bohan and Lukas Joyce (both 14), last April 10.

The accused, who cannot be identified due to his age, appeared at Galway Circuit Court yesterday, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving causing death.

Furthermore, standing beside his mother for the arraignment process, the boy also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to a teenage girl, emerging from the same incident.

The teenager admitted further charges, including driving without insurance, and the use of a mechanically propelled vehicle without the consent of its owner.

Defence barrister Michael Collins, SC, told the court that his client was two months shy of his fourteenth birthday when the incident occurred.

On account of the 'particularly tragic' facts and evidence due to be disclosed in the case, Mr Collins said it would be applicable for the court to conduct a report from the probation and welfare services to assist sentencing. Judge Brian O'Callaghan directed the reports, before adjourning the case until next month. The full-sentence hearing is unlikely to proceed at this time and the boy’s attendance was excused from the next court date. The boy was remanded on continuing bail.