Man admits killing mum and injuring baby in crash
A CO Down man yesterday admitted killing a woman and injuring her baby daughter by driving carelessly on the Belfast to Bangor carriageway.
Stephen Boyd, of Ballymaconnell Road in Bangor, will however stand trial next Spring on the more serious offences of causing death and grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving on the A2 Belfast Road in November 2017.
The 47-year-old appeared in court via videolink from his solicitor’s office, charged with two offences arising from the fatal collision.
He spoke to confirm his name, and that he could see and hear the proceedings.
When a charge of causing the death of Caroline Pugh by driving dangerously on the A2 Belfast Road on November 10, 2017 was put to him, Boyd replied: “Not guilty to dangerous driving causing death, but guilty to careless driving causing death.”
He was also charged with causing grievous bodily injury to Bethan Pugh by driving dangerously on the same date.
When charged, Boyd replied: “Not guilty to dangerous driving causing grievous bodily injury but guilty to careless driving causing grievous bodily injury.”
After Boyd entered the pleas, Downpatrick Crown Court Judge
‘We will need to attend the scene with our expert and possibly Mr Boyd’
Geoffery Miller QC asked prosecution barrister Rosemary Walsh for the Crown’s view in light of the pleas.
She responded by saying: “At this stage, we will still require a trial.”
Defe nc e barrister Aaro n Thompson said the trial would mainly concern an engineering matter and that his legal team had instructed an expert.
He added: “Mr Boyd wanted to enter a plea to some level of culpability and there is an acceptance of some level of culpability.
“We will need to attend the scene with our expert and possibly with Mr Boyd.”
Mr Thompson explained that because this has not taken place, an expert report has not been compiled yet.
Expressing the hope that the report could be completed as soon as possible, Judge Miller said: “Cases of this nature, particularly any case involving a fatality, have to be given some degree of priority.”
Judge Miller set the trial date as May 12, 2021. He said he expected the hearing to last around four days and added he would review the case in February.