Car chase drivers jailed over fatal crash

THE DRIVERS of two cars involved in a high-speed pursuit through residential areas of Cork city were yesterday both jailed for causing the deaths of two teenagers travelling as passengers in one of the vehicles.

Philip Murphy (41) and James Simms (27) had both been convicted last week by a jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court of dangerous driving causing the deaths of CJ Dolan (16) and Derry O’Callaghan (19) at Harbour View Road, Knocknaheeny, Cork on May 13 last.

Judge Patrick Moran yesterday sentenced reforming heroin addict Murphy from Killala Gardens, Knocknaheeny, to six years in jail while he sentenced Simms, who has cerebral palsy and an address at Adelaide Terrace, Cork, to four years for the same offence.

Sgt Brendan Kelly told how gardaí responded to a number of 999 calls at about 11.20pm on May 13th last and saw a red Ford Mondeo travelling along Harbour View Road being pursued by a black VW Golf with both cars travelling at an estimated 120km/h.

The Mondeo attempted to turn into Hollyville Estate but the driver lost control and it was hit in the rear by the VW Golf with both vehicles careering out of control and smashing into the gable end of a house, said Sgt Kelly.

The driver of the Mondeo, Simms, was injured but conscious as were his front seat passenger John Heaphy and rear right seat passenger Shane Heaphy.

But CJ Dolan, who was at the rear left, and Derry O’Callaghan, who was in the middle, both sustained serious injuries.

Both were taken to Cork University Hospital but CJ Dolan died within an hour from a brain injury, while Derry O’Callaghan died later the next morning after suffering serious damage to his windpipe and other severe trauma.

Murphy was the driver of the VW Golf and was arrested by gardaí as he tried to flee the scene, said Sgt Kelly, adding that the pursuit was the sequel to another incident in which some of the occupants of the Mondeo had set upon the VW Golf on Churchfield Way Lower.

They had attacked the VW Golf with weapons, smashing the windscreen so that the driver did not have full visibility when he took off at speed after the Mondeo, driving through residential areas for 2.6km at speeds estimated at 120km/h and where the legal speed limit was 50km/h.

Murphy had 76 previous convictions including 31 for various road traffic offences including dangerous driving, driving without insurance, unlawful taking of a car and he was banned from driving and out on bail appealing a District Court conviction at the time of the crash.

Simms had 99 previous convictions, of which 92 were for road traffic offences, including one for endangerment from March 2009 for which he had received a three-year sentence.

He was unlawfully at large at the time of the crash, having absconded from Shelton Abbey, Arklow, Co Wicklow.

Derry O’Callaghan’s mother, Bernice, told in a letter read by her daughter Cathy of how her son was “very innocent”.

“My son’s death left a permanent mark on me that will never change.

“I love him and I miss him, and will miss him till the day I die,” she said.

CJ Dolan’s mother, Noreen, said she is still in mourning.

“CJ was my prince, he was my son and he was my friend. He was a loveable rogue and he had a cheeky smile and I know that one day I will see him again because I know that CJ is in heaven,” she said between tears.

Judge Moran said it was a very serious case with shocking consequences for the Dolan and O’Callaghan families.

“This was an horrific, appalling and shocking kind of driving on this particular day,” he said.