A TRIAL arising from a series of incidents which culminated in the deaths of two teenagers in a car crash in Cork city last May will resume next week with just two defendants before the court.
Three men facing a charge of false imprisonment have all been found not guilty by the direction of the trial judge, while a charge against a fourth man of threatening to damage property has been withdrawn from the jury.
James Quilligan (23), Shane Ahern (21) and Thomas Murphy (42) were all charged at Cork Circuit Criminal Court with falsely imprisoning Darren Lenehan at Hollywood Estate, Blarney Road on May 13th last.
Following legal argument, Judge Patrick Moran directed the jury to acquit Mr Quilligan, of St Martin’s Park, Tralee, Co Kerry; Mr Ahern, formerly of Willow Bank, Fairhill, Cork; and Thomas Murphy of Spriggs Road, Gurranebraher, Cork.
Yesterday, Judge Moran informed the jury the case against another man, John Heaphy (24), of Oak Drive, Classis Lake, Ballincollig, Co Cork, charged with threatening to damage property, was being withdrawn from them.
A fifth accused, Phillip Murphy (40), of Killala Gardens, Knocknaheeny, was also found not guilty by the jury on the direction of Judge Moran of falsely imprisoning Mr Lenehan.
But Mr Murphy and a sixth accused, James Simms (27), of Adelaide Terrace, Cork, remain on trial on a charge of dangerous driving causing the deaths of CJ Dolan (16) and Derry O’Callaghan (19) at Harbour View Road, Knocknaheeny, on May 14th last.
The trial has heard evidence from Asst State Pathologist Margaret Bolster regarding the deaths of both Dolan and O’Callaghan, who were rear seat passengers in a Ford Mondeo which crashed into a house.
Dr Bolster said Dolan, late of Hollywood Estate, Cork, suffered a very severe head injury, and that cause of death was brain swelling due to a collision. He was pronounced dead an hour after the incident. She said Derry O’Callaghan, late of Killala Gardens, Knocknaheeny, had the main air tube to the windpipe torn off by blunt force trauma in a collision. O’Callaghan died hours later after unsuccessful surgery.