An 18-year-old youth from Co Galway will appear in court in London today for an extradition hearing, part of an ongoing process to have him sent back to Ireland to stand trial for serious offences relating to a traffic accident in Co Clare in 2003 which claimed two young lives.
David Naughton, who resided at a voluntary residential care unit in Galway at the time of the alleged offences, absconded almost two years ago. He was arrested in May by police in London for separate alleged offences there.
Mr Naughton, (15) at the time of the alleged offences, faces charges arising from the October 2003 crash which killed 16-year-old Stacey Haugh and her close friend Lorna O'Mahony (13), both from Kilkee, Co Clare. The two girls died instantly when the car the accused is alleged to have been driving struck a wall only a few hundred yards from the seaside village of Carrigaholt.
The accused first appeared in court in Ennis on October 24th, 2003, a week after the crash. He was wearing his hospital identity bracelet, and walked with crutches when he arrived at Ennis District Court.
After being remanded to St Patrick's Institution in Dublin, the defendant was later released on bail, on condition he remain at a voluntary care unit in Galway.
After absconding, he was rearrested and brought before Ennis District Court where he was again remanded to St Patrick's.
At his next court appearance, he pleaded with Judge Joseph Mangan to again grant him bail, claiming he was assaulted three times by other inmates.
Despite objections from the State, Judge Mangan granted the accused bail, but warned he faced being sent back to St Patrick's Institution if the conditions of his bail were breached again.
The accused absconded again - this time to England. In February 2004, a bench warrant for his arrest was issued.
Inquests into the deaths of the two girls were adjourned last year pending the outcome of criminal proceedings.
The Crown Prosecution Service in England has confirmed Mr Naughton will appear today at Bow Street Magistrates Court.
"This is part of an ongoing process to have the accused extradited to Ireland," the spokeswoman said yesterday.