Driver who killed two women in 2005isjailedfor drink-fuelled late night crash
A MAN who killed two women in a road crash 12 years ago has been jailed after being involved in another smash.
Paul Patrick Duffy had consumed alcohol when he hit a vehicle while on the wrong side of the road without lights at midnight.
Yesterday the 37-year-old, of Hillside Drive in Dunloy, Co Antrim, was jailed for four months at Coleraine Magistrates Court.
District Judge Liam McNally said he should have “learnt some sort of lesson” from the tragedy he was involved in 12 years ago.
Duffy was released on his own bail of £500 pending an appeal.
The incident occurred in Dunloy on September 4. The court heard after hitting the car Duffy tried to escape, but was followed by the other motorist.
He crashed, and when police arrived they failed to get a breath sample from him on five occasions. He also failed to give a sample at the police station.
In 2005 Duffy, who had an address in Westport, Co Mayo, at the time, was an unaccompanied learner driver when he killed a mother of eight and her aunt while overtaking on the N5 near Castlebar in the county.
He later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of 48-year-old Marian Maye, from Kilkelly, Co Mayo, and her 77-year-old aunt, Kathleen Fitzpatrick, from Lisacull, Castlerea, Co Roscommon. He was given a suspended jail term and banned from driving for 10 years.
Yesterday Duffy appeared at Coleraine courthouse for sentencing.
He had pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving, failing to remain at the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident. He also admitted failing to give a preliminary sample of breath and failing to provide a specimen of breath at Coleraine PSNI Station.
At an earlier court hearing Duffy admitted to having “one or two drinks in the pub”, but said he couldn’t give breath samples because of “asthma”.
Yesterday defence barrister Dean Mooney said his client had got behind the wheel while under the influence of drink and although there had been an accident, there was “no significant damage or injury”.
Mr Mooney said the defendant “knows all too well” about dangerous driving, although he said the Co Mayo tragedy did not involve drink. The lawyer said Duffy penned a letter of apologytotheothermotorist,butwas told not to send it as investigations continued.
As well as the jail term, Duffy was banned from driving for two years, and he will have to pass an extended driving test before being allowed back on the road. He was also fined £100.