‘Two beautiful girls – no justice', fume family of teen killed holding hands with best pal as Debs crash driver caged

The Irish Sun

14-05-2025

THE family of Debs crash victim Kiea McCann has slammed the seven-year jail sentence handed down to killer driver Anthony McGinn today.
Best pals Kiea, 17, and Dlava Mohammed, 16, died when the
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Kiea McCann died in the crash in 2023
Credit: PACEMAKER BELFAST
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Dlava Mohammed also lost her life in the crash
Credit: PACEMAKER BELFAST
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Anthony McGinn was handed down a seven-year jail term
Credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
McGinn, 61 — a friend of Kiea's family who had offered to drive the two teenagers to their school party —
He also admitted to
McGinn was today
And Judge John Aylmer blasted McGinn for travelling at the 'grossly excessive speed' of 151kph in an 80kph zone on a wet road.
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The judge told how the Debs death driver 'ignored pleas to slow down' from frantic passengers.
Judge Aylmer said: 'You were entrusted to drive these young people to their Debs.
'And in driving in the manner in which you did, you committed an extraordinary breach of trust.'
McGinn, of Drumloo, Newbliss, Co Monaghan, did not show any emotion as he was led away by prison officers to begin his jail sentence.
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Reacting to the jail term outside court, Kiea's mum Teresa declared: 'There is no justice.'
Holding a photo of her beloved girl, Teresa said: 'Seven years, that's the justice here. Two beautiful girls. This is my daughter Kiea.
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Reacting to the jail term outside court, Kiea's mum Teresa declared: 'There is no justice'
Credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
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The judge told how the Debs death driver 'ignored pleas to slow down' from frantic passengers
Credit: PACEMAKER BELFAST
'And this is what we got, seven years today. There is no justice for this. My child's life is gone and never coming back.'
Ms Mohamed's heartbroken family told how they came to Ireland from war-torn Syria to build their dreams but declared: 'Dlava's dreams are now buried with her.'
In an exclusive interview with the Irish Sun tonight, the grieving Mohamed family told how 'no sentence would bring the girls back'.
And the Mohamed clan urged the nation to 'learn lessons' from the devastation wrought by McGinn's speeding.
'NO SENTENCE WILL BRING THE GIRLS BACK'
Dlava's sister Lilav, 23, told the Irish Sun: 'On behalf of my family, we think that there would never be justice in this case if he got a life sentence, or if he was there in the jail for one day.
'The sad fact is that the girls are not going to come back no matter what happens, so it's hard to say justice or not because no sentence will bring the girls back.
'Of course, speeding is intentional. His actions had to be judged.
'But at the same time, we wouldn't say that we're mad that he got seven years because for us, we just wanted him to get something for him to be a lesson to other younger drivers or like to anyone who drives.'
'DEEPLY SADDENED' BY GARDA'S DEATH
The Mohamed family revealed how they had been left 'deeply saddened' by the
Gda Flatley was operating a checkpoint when he was
It brings to 60 the number of deaths on the roads this year.
And speaking to the Irish Sun tonight, Lilav pleaded for drivers to slow down in a bid to reduce fatalities on our roads.
SLOW DOWN PLEA
Lilav said: 'We want the sentence to send a strong message to other drivers. There has been a death this week as well involving the Garda.
'So we want to send the message that no one else should die on the roads. To slow down, we just want people to slow down and learn the lesson.
'That's really what my family want to be honest.
'We are not mad about sentencing. We don't think it's not justice because justice would never be served in this case, no sentence will bring the girls back.
'EXAMPLE BEEN MADE'
'There's an example been made. There's been an example made of McGinn. So hopefully that sends out the right message to other people to slow down.'
Emotional Lilav described the two years since Dlava's death as 'so hard' - as she spoke of her hope that other families can be spared from the tragedy they have had to endure.
You were entrusted to drive these young people to their Debs. And in driving in the manner in which you did, you committed an extraordinary breach of trust.'
Judge John Aylmer
She said: 'It's not easy for any one of us during this time, because we've been waiting for two years and we knew that nothing is going to change. Nothing will bring the girls back. Everyone is broken. So I wouldn't say that everyone is doing OK. Hopefully, time will give us more healing.
'We just want to send the message for drivers to slow down so other families don't have to suffer like us.'
GIRLS DIED 'HOLDING HANDS'
Victim impact statements revealed how Kiea and Dlava died 'holding hands' in the fatal crash on the way to their debs after driver McGinn ignored pleas to slow down.
The driver had been speeding on his way to the ball when he lost control of his BMW and smashed into a tree at an impact speed of over 121kph.
Both girls tragically died side-by-side following the shocking smash.
Dlava's sister Avin, who had also been travelling in the car at the time, suffered serious injuries.
GUILTY PLEA
McGinn had pleaded guilty to causing the girls' deaths by dangerous driving and causing Avin serious bodily harm.
In a heartbreaking victim impact statement, Kiea's mum Teresa told how she 'trusted' McGinn to take her daughter to the leaver's ball.
She said: 'When we got to the scene, Kiea was already gone. Her dad tried CPR on her. Nothing would bring her back.
'Kiea and her best friend were robbed of their lives. They were put side by side holding hands on the grass as me and my husband lay beside them.'
'YOU TOOK OUR DAUGHTER'
Addressing McGinn in court, Kiea's dad Frankie said: 'Because of the decision you made, you took our daughter from our lives and our hearts.'
Dlava's sister Avin told how she feels guilty over the crash as she invited the teen to the dance with her.
SLOW DOWN PLEA
TOP cops say they stand 'united in grief' with the families of debs crash victims Kiea McCann and Dlava Mohamed.
The force is in mourning after Garda Kevin Flatley was knocked down and killed by a speeding motorbike in Dublin on Sunday. His funeral takes place on Friday.
After speeding driver Anthony McGinn was yesterday caged, Senior Investigating Officer Ann-Marie Lardner insisted: 'As a society, Ireland needs to reset our ­collective attitude towards road safety. As a society, we need to slow down.
'As a society, we need to have a conversation with those who we know drive too fast, either in excess of the speed limit or too fast for the road conditions.
'The only people who can drive slower are drivers. But everybody can influence a driver. Slow down, make our roads safer.'
She said she did not learn about the pair's death for months due to her injuries after 'everything went black' in the crash.
Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court was told McGinn had picked up the group in Monaghan before heading to the ball.
HARROWING FINAL MOMENTS
Front seat passenger Oisin Clerkin had asked McGinn to 'slow down' but the driver did not respond.
Kiea's debs date Oisin, who escaped the smash with non-life threatening injuries, later told cops: 'He was driving really fast and it scared me.
'None of the girls said anything. Kiea looked scared. I said 'Goodbye' to Kiea and I woke up in hospital.'
The court was shown harrowing footage of Kiea and Dlava's final moments before McGinn collided with the tree.
He later told gardai he had no idea what speed he was going at before the crash.
The court heard McGinn was travelling at almost double the limit before hitting the tree at Legnakelly, near Clones, on July 31 2023.
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The grieving Mohamed family told how 'no sentence would bring the girls back'
Credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire