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Buncrana families awarded €200,000
27.11.09
THE FAMILIES of two
young people who were among five who died in a
horrific road crash in Inishowen have secured more
than €200,000 each in settlement of their High Court
actions, writes the Irish Times today.
The proceedings were brought against Brendan
Henderson (50), Seven Oaks, Waterside, Derry, who
was earlier this year jailed for four years after
admitting dangerous driving at the scene of the
incident at Cross, Quigley’s Point, Inishowen, on
October 8, 2005. |
Henderson’s car was on
the wrong side of the road when it hit the car in
which the five victims, all from the Inishowen
peninsula, were travelling. All five died at the
scene. They were Rochelle Peoples (22); David Steele
(23); Gavin Duffy (21); Charlene O’Connor (21) and
Darren Quinn (21).
Liability was conceded in the case. Henderson
himself suffered severe injuries and is now in a
wheelchair.
In court yesterday, Joseph McGettigan, for Brendan
and Annette Duffy, parents of Gavin Duffy, from
Meenagorey, Buncrana, said the incident was one of
the worst to have ever |
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occurred in the
country. His clients had suffered severe mental
distress and nervous shock as a result of the
incident and the loss of their son.
Proceedings were also brought by Rose Bernadette
O’Connor and her husband James, the parents of
Charlene O’Connor, of Straboe, Buncrana.
In approving a settlement of €225,000 for the
O’Connors and a settlement of €205,000 for the
Duffys, Mr Justice Vivian Lavan extended the court’s
sympathy to all the families involved in this
“terrible, tragic event”. He expressed the hope that
compensation would go some way towards helping the
families to achieve closure.
The claims were made under the Civil Liability Act
and the plaintiffs had sought damages for alleged
negligence and breach of duty by the defendant.
(Irish Times) |
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