Latest news with #AnthonyMcGinn
Irish Times
20-05-2025
- Irish Times
Kiea McCann's parents ‘living a nightmare' since her death
The parents of Kiea McCann, one of two teenagers killed in a crash on the way to their debs ball in Monaghan in 2023, have said they are living a 'nightmare' since their daughter's death . Kiea (17) died alongside her best friend, Dlava Mohamed (16). Dlava's sister, Avin, was left with life-changing injuries after the crash. Last week, Anthony McGinn (61) pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and serious injury. He was driving 151km/h in an 80km/h zone when his car struck a tree near Legnakelly on July 31st, 2023. He was jailed for seven years . Speaking on RTÉ's Prime Time on Tuesday, Frankie and Teresa McCann recalled the night of the crash. READ MORE Mr McCann described arriving at the scene, saying he moved from Kiea to Dlava trying to revive them. 'You were just trying, basically, to save one to get to the other,' he said. 'It wasn't that you had a choice to do it, it was something you had to do. And then you'd turn around and you'd see the mother lying with your own daughter.' When they realised the girls could not be saved, Mr McCann gave them the last rites. 'You kind of hope, if there is something after life, they would know that you were with them. They'd know that they were loved, because my daughter knew she was loved.' Mr McCann said he has struggled to move forward following his daughter's death and has tried to take his own life. 'You remember the day she was born when you're the first to hold her, then you're the last to hold her,' he added. Ms McCann said: 'It's a nightmare to live with … just lying there with them and knowing that you couldn't save them.' The McCanns said Mr McGinn, a family friend whom they had known for years, should have been given a longer sentence. The court in Monaghan heard how he had ignored the 'somewhat angry pleas' of two 'frightened young passengers' – referring to Avin and another passenger, Oisín Clerkin, who sustained less serious injuries – to 'desist' from speeding. 'It's not a fair sentence. At the end of the day, he knew what he was at when he got into that car … Seven years is nothing,' Ms McCann said. Need support? Contact Samaritans by calling 116 123
Irish Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Anthony McGinn sentencing explained: Why debs crash driver got seven years
The judge who sentenced fatal debs crash driver Anthony McGinn stated that he was 'bound' to reduce his sentence due to certain mitigating circumstances. He did however tell the court that he was jailing him at the upper end of the maximum possible sentence for the offence of dangerous driving causing death - which is 10 years. He was bound by the law to act in those constraints - and could not jail him to any more than that. But the fact that McGinn had pleaded guilty at an early opportunity, coupled with his 'remorse' and lack of convictions, meant the sentence fell to seven years. With enhanced remission and good behaviour behind bars, McGinn could see himself freed from custody in just under five years. In most cases where people are killed on our roads in criminal circumstances, gardai opt to charge the offender with dangerous driving causing death - or in more mitigating cases, 'careless' driving causing death. In rare cases a person has been charged with murder, where gardai believe the evidence shows intent to kill. Ireland does not have a 'vehicular homicide' charge that exists in some other jurisdictions - often with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. However McGinn faced two charges of dangerous driving causing death, which under the Road Traffic Act 2011, has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He also faced dangerous driving causing serious injury to Avin Mohamed, who survived the crash. However as is typical in first time offences, McGinn's three charges were taken together - and he is to serve a concurrent sentence of seven years for each - meaning he only serves seven years as opposed to each one back to back. He was also banned from driving for a period of 15 years.
Extra.ie
15-05-2025
- Extra.ie
Three cyclists injured after car hits group and drives off in Cork
Three cyclists have been injured following a hit and run in Cork on Wednesday evening. The incident happened at around 8.05pm on the R627 in Midleton. Emergency services attended the scene and the road was closed for a period of time. Three cyclists have been injured following a hit and run in Cork on Wednesday evening. Pic: Shutterstock RTÉ report that three cyclists are currently being treated for non-life threatening injuries. have reached out to An Garda Síochána for comment on the accident. Elsewhere, a grieving mum has reacted following the sentence handed down to a man who caused the death of two teenagers due to dangerous driving. Kiera McCann, 17, and Dlava Mohamed, 16, died after the car they were travelling in left the road and crashed into a tree in the Legnakeely area on July 31, 2023 while on their ways to a debs ball. Kiera McCann, 17, and Dlava Mohamed, 16, died after the car they were travelling in left the road and crashed into a tree in the Legnakeely area on July 31, 2023 while on their way to a Debs ball. Anthony McGinn, 61, from Drumoo, Newbliss, Co Monaghan was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment following a guilty plea. Mr McGinn was also disqualified from driving for a period of 15 years. Anthony McGinn at Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court, Co Monaghan. Pic: Brian Lawless/PA Wire Kiea and Dlava had been travelling to a ball to mark the end of their school year, at the Western Arms Hotel in Monaghan town. Anthony McGinn, 60, who was behind the wheel, had been charged with dangerous driving causing the deaths of the teenagers. He was also charged with dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to Dlava's sister, Avin, on the same occasion. Speaking after the sentencing, Kiea's mother Teresa McCann said: 'There is no justice in this. My child's life is gone and never coming back.' Pic: Brian Lawless/PA Wire McGinn entered a guilty plea to both charges at Monaghan Circuit Court back in January. Speaking after the sentencing, Kiea's mother Teresa McCann said: 'There is no justice in this. My child's life is gone and never coming back.' Inspector Ann Marie Lardner said Gardaí supported the families 'in their suffering.' 'Kiea and Dlava were looking forward to celebrating their Debs on the night of the 31st of July, 2023 – they had their entire lives and bright futures in front of them. They were killed in a devastating road traffic collision and never came home,' she said.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Driver is jailed for seven years after 75mph horror crash that killed two teen best friends on their way to prom
A driver has been sentenced to seven years in prison after killing two teen best friends. Two teen best friends were laid next to each other 'holding hands' after they died in a horror 75mph crash on their way to their school leavers ball, a court was told. Kiea McCann, 17 and Dlava Mohamed, 16, died after the car they were travelling in, crashed into a tree in Legnakeely, Ireland on July 31, 2023. Anthony McGinn, 61, who was a friend of the McCann family, was put in a 'position of trust' to drive the two young girls to the Debs ball in Monaghan Town, the court heard. McGinn, of Drumloo, County Monaghan, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing their deaths as well and causing serious bodily harm to Dlava's sister, Auin Mohammed, during the same incident. At Monaghan Courthouse on Wednesday, McGinn was also disqualified from driving for a period of 15 years. Monaghan Circuit Court heard how McGinn ignored the pleas from his teen passengers to 'slow down' as he drove at nearly double the speed of a 50mph zone. His car, a white BMW then careered and collided with a tree on the N54 at around 75mph in the Legnakelly area, killing the two girls and injuring another. Kiea McCann (left), 17, and Dlava Mohamed (right), 16, died after the car they were travelling to their school leavers ball in left the N54 and crashed into a tree in the Legnakeely area on July 31 2023 It was also heard that front passenger, who was Kiea's date, Oisin Clerkin asked McGinn to 'slow down', but the driver did not respond. '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,' he told Gardai in a statement. Upsetting scenes unraveled at the sentencing as family and friends of the two girls were shown footage of their final moments where the car was involved in the horror crash. The court was told McGinn was shown dashcam footage of the horror crash after his arrest and confessed that he had 'no answer' and did not 'know what speed [he] was doing. Following this, there was an outburst from Kiea's father, Frankie, who according to the Irish Mirror said: 'If this man won't send you down. I'll never forget you, you fu**ing b**tard.' Families later read aloud their impact statements, with Kiea's mother Teresa sharing how she had 'trusted' the 61-year-old family friend to take her child to the Deb's Ball safely. 'When we got to the scene, Kiea was already gone. Her dad tried CPR on her. Nothing would bring her back,' she said. '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.' Her heartbroken mother revealed that Kiea's 18th birthday present was her headstone, as the family had been left with only memories and pictures of the teen. Kiea's father, Frankie, who tried revive the two teenagers at the scene of the crash, described his child as a 'gift from God'. At the sentencing, he spoke of his heartbreak, explaining Kiea would be able to get married or have her own family, describing her passing as a 'death sentence' for their family. Dlava's father, who had brought his family from war-scarred Syria to Ireland, said his daughter's dreams had died with her, adding that he lost a piece of all of his children on that fateful day, as well as his heart. He asserted that he wanted the most severe punishment for McGinn, adding that he wanted 'justice, not revenge'. Dlava's sister, who had experienced severe injuries in the collision, said the incident had forever changed the trajectory of her life, explaining her sister had been accompanying her to the Deb's ball. Recalling the crash, Auin said she had told McGinn to 'stop' before 'everything went black'. She told the court that she had not known the two teenagers were dead for months. Breffni Gordon, mitigating, told the court McGinn was seriously injured in the collision, and was remorseful. They also added that the driver had apologised to the victims' families and he had entered an early guilty plea. McGinn also lost his job, income as well as his relationship with his wife and children, the court was told. Sentencing is due to take place next Wednesday at May 14.
Irish Times
14-05-2025
- Irish Times
Driver in car crash that led to deaths of Monaghan teenagers jailed for seven years
Anthony McGinn (61) from Drumloo, Newbliss, Co Monaghan, has been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of two teenagers. Kiea McCann (17) and Dlava Mohamed (16) died after the car they were travelling in left the road and crashed into a tree in the Legnakeely area on July 31st 2023 while on their way to a debs ball. At Monaghan Courthouse on Wednesday, McGinn was also disqualified from driving for a period of 15 years. This is a breaking story and will be updated. -PA
