Teenager charged over fatal crash in Clondalkin

A Dublin teenager is to face trial following a crash which claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy.

Transition-year student Dayne Cody suffered serious injuries after a car in which he was travelling hit a tree at Station Road in Clondalkin, Dublin, on December 20th.

The Cherry Orchard teenager was rushed to Tallaght hospital were he was later pronounced dead.

On Tuesday, a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at the Dublin Children’s Court to face charges in connection with the crash: dangerous driving causing death, having no driving licence or insurance and not having a roadworthy certificate (NCT) for the vehicle.

He was accompanied to court by his parents and his solicitor Michelle Finan. He answered “no” when he was charged and asked if he had any reply, said Det Garda Padraic Jennings.

No plea was entered and the boy was remanded on bail to appear again in six weeks when it is expected he will be served with a book of evidence.

Judge John O’Connor was told the DPP had recommended the teenager should face trial on indictment; this means the case would be dealt with at the higher level in the Circuit Court which has wider sentencing powers.

The teenager and his parents were visibly upset during the hearing in which Det Garda Jennings gave the judge an outline of the evidence for the purpose of ruling on the trial venue issue.

Det Garda Jennings agreed with Ms Finan that the car, a 2002-registered Kia with a 2.5-litre engine, was not stolen.

The teenager had used money he got for his birthday to buy the vehicle from a seller who advertised it online and he allegedly collected it in north Dublin, it was claimed.

He was later driving four others in the car, including Mr Cody when he got into a panicked state after he passed a Garda car and increased his speed.

The court heard the teenager lost control of the car and there was a crash in which Mr Cody suffered fatal injuries.

One of the other passengers lost a foot and the other people in the car made full recoveries from their less serious injuries.

Det Garda Jennings agreed with the accused’s lawyer that it was a tragedy and the road was wet at the time. The court was also told he had no prior criminal convictions and was co-operative.

The judge, who was furnished with photos of the scene, refused jurisdiction for the case to be dealt with in the juvenile court.

There was no objection to bail and the teenager was granted legal aid.