Horrible car crash was God's plan

TP_CM

I'd have more compassion for this lad if he showed an ounce of responsibility.

He drank, he drove 5 others in that tiny car without insurance, and without a licence (previously disqualified).

He sped through winding streets at 3am, crashed, killed 2 of them, fled the scene, and then, to top it off, in his statement of apology, his barrister read:

RTE wrote:

He said he asked himself every day why this was part of God's plan

God's plan? Really?

That really annoyed me for some reason.

Awful story. The poor families, including his own.

Very sad story. I've no sympathy for him for all the reasons you've stated. Poor victims and their families though. Should be much longer stentence given the aggregating circumstances.

biko

Overloaded cars have become a major concern in the fight against road deaths, it was claimed on Monday.
And one of the most worrying trends is people cramming into cars late at night to get home.
Four people were thrown from the Peugeot 306 car which struck a wall and then a lamp post at 3.25am.

Shiva Devine, 20, and Conall McAleer, who was also in his 20s – died instantly while two others are fighting for their lives.

So far this year eight people have lost their lives on Co Donegal’s roads, compared to six for all of last year.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/bundoran-donegal-fatal-crash-deaths-13113811

cargo

TP_CM wrote: »

I'd have more compassion for this lad if he showed an ounce of responsibility.

He drank, he drove 5 others in that tiny car without insurance, and without a licence (previously disqualified).

He sped through winding streets at 3am, crashed, killed 2 of them, fled the scene, and then, to top it off, in his statement of apology, his barrister read:



God's plan? Really?

That really annoyed me for some reason.

Awful story. The poor families, including his own.

God's an awful bollix at 3am on a Saturday night after a few pints....

Potential-Monke

It's one thing I never do is overload the car. Think the sentence was a bit light considering the damage and loss caused. And yeah, "Gods plan". Technically he's right, if one is to believe in that craic.

gmisk

TP_CM wrote: »

I'd have more compassion for this lad if he showed an ounce of responsibility.

He drank, he drove 5 others in that tiny car without insurance, and without a licence (previously disqualified).
Fairly light sentence? I am guessing he will be out in half that

He sped through winding streets at 3am, crashed, killed 2 of them, fled the scene, and then, to top it off, in his statement of apology, his barrister read:



God's plan? Really?

That really annoyed me for some reason.

Awful story. The poor families, including his own.

Awful stuff.
Fled the scene is just the icing on the cake.

I know they were young but what were they thinking piling into the car with him?

I couldn't believe when I found out it happened in Donegal.
Same nonsense in my own border region, nothing will change while scum are "forgiven" no matter the outcomes.

Absolutely no sense of personal responsibility. It's a dreadful trait in a person I think. And to leave the scene afterwards Cowardly.

Theres a serious problem around driver culture in that county, theres no doubt about it unfortunately

storker

Judges need to start handing down lifetime driving bans for killing people through dangerous/drunk driving.

Bobblehats

TP_CM wrote: »

God's plan? Really?

Not a good plan in anyone’s book

Of which, one should be thrown. Bring the hammer down hard on the cùnt

Mike Murdock

storker wrote: »

Judges need to start handing down lifetime driving bans for killing people through dangerous/drunk driving.

And mandatory 15-year jail sentences. Per person killed.

5 years in this case is a ****ing joke.

Billgirlylegs

Mike Murdock wrote: »

And mandatory 15-year jail sentences. Per person killed.

5 years in this case is a ****ing joke.

Was he already banned from driving?

Penny just doesn't go in the slot. Graveyards are full of people who have encountered "great drivers" like this waste of space. I remember a case of chicken in a border county from 10 odd years ago. More than one person killed then as well.

mirwillbeback

Mike Murdock wrote: »

And mandatory 15-year jail sentences. Per person killed.

5 years in this case is a ****ing joke.

Would that make you feel better?

Because the victims families were far more forgiving. Not sure why you would be more upset than they would be.

Mike Murdock

mirwillbeback wrote: »

Would that make you feel better?

Because the victims families were far more forgiving. Not sure why you would be more upset than they would be.

It sends a message to wider society that this type of **** will not be tolerated.
Maybe even save some young lives.

mirwillbeback

mirwillbeback wrote: »

Would that make you feel better?

Because the victims families were far more forgiving. Not sure why you would be more upset than they would be.

YEP....make me feel a LOT BETTER

paw patrol

Student_111 wrote: »

Very sad story. I've no sympathy for him for all the reasons you've stated. Poor victims and their families though. Should be much longer stentence given the aggregating circumstances.

you should read the story, the victims forgave him.

Mike Murdock wrote: »

And mandatory 15-year jail sentences. Per person killed.

5 years in this case is a ****ing joke.

So he deserves 30years? Sure why not hang him at the end of the 30.....just to be sure.:rolleyes:

he probably got a lighter sentence cos the other victims forgave him - their view rightly has more sway than you the judge dread of boards.

Jequ0n

The bit about gods plan is actually kind of funny

Personal responsibility...yes...but that also partially lies with the people who get into a car with a drunk driver. Not saying it’s their own fault but potentially indicates that it’s common practice in the area

magicbastarder

what the victim's families think should be immaterial to the verdict. he should be punished based on what he did; no insurance, no licence, disqualified, and drunk. it's like he was removing every possibility for mitigation of culpability.

frozenfrozen

anyone who wasn't black out drunk lifted into the back of the car by someone else also made a terrible decision to get into that car.

and that's not taking anything away from the actions of the driver. But it's like putting your mouth over the barrel of a shotgun and someone else pulling the trigger

TP_CM

Mike Murdock wrote: »

And mandatory 15-year jail sentences. Per person killed.

5 years in this case is a ****ing joke.

He'll be out in less than 36 months. Awful stench of "boys will be boys" in that sentence.

If he was disqualified it's not like it's his first run-in with the law either.

magicbastarder

also, i just read, he hit 75mph before crashing. it's almost like he set out to kill someone.

cruizer101

I do think the sentence should have been more and I've every sympathy for the families of those involved but getting into a car with a drunk disqualified driver is a terrible idea.

Test For Echo

magicbastarder wrote: »

...he should be punished based on what he did; no insurance, no licence, disqualified, and drunk. it's like he was removing every possibility for mitigation of culpability.

And fled the scene, leaving his friends injured & dying on the road. Hid out and rang his father who had the cop on to bring him back to the scene. Should be longer than a 5 year sentence.

magicbastarder

they do say if you want to kill someone and get away with it, do it with a car. he killed two people and left a third with lifelong injuries, through repeated and wilful actions.

if you did that with a weapon, you wouldn't be looking at five years.

eleventh

TP_CM wrote: »

God's plan? Really?

It wasn't a direct quote if you read the article. I'd want to see the direct quote before having a view on it, as well as the context he said it in.

An awful tragedy anyway, for all concerned.

fitzparker

without clicking the article Donegal came straight to mind. when you hear of the worst type of crashes its nearly always Donegal.

magicbastarder

eleventh wrote: »

It wasn't a direct quote if you read the article. I'd want to see the direct quote before having a view on it, as well as the context he said it in

it was from a prepared statement read out by his legal team.

Overheal

Was that shoddy attempt at a legal defense God’s plan too or just the idiot barrister’s?

ohnonotgmail

Overheal wrote: »

Was that shoddy attempt at a legal defense God’s plan too or just the idiot barrister’s?

There was no defence as such. He plead guilty. It was an attempt at an apology. A pretty poor one mind.

TomSweeney

It's easy to find religion and God/Jesus when you don't want to take responsibility for your actions.

Overheal

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

There was no defence as such. He plead guilty. It was an attempt at an apology. A pretty poor one mind.

Suppose when you hit rock bottom you can always get by with a little help from imaginary friends. Nihilism is the birthing ground for religion after all.

Apparently after the allegation read out in court a warrant was issued and Donegal Gardai are now looking for God. They have staked out some churches and interviewed several priests but the mastermind behind the Plan is proving elusive.

RandomViewer

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Theres a serious problem around driver culture in that county, theres no doubt about it unfortunately

From Fermanagh

Banana Republic 1

TomSweeney wrote: »

It's easy to find religion and God/Jesus when you don't want to take responsibility for your actions ?

Isnt that how Christianity works

RandomViewer

Test For Echo wrote: »

And fled the scene, leaving his friends injured & dying on the road. Hid out and rang his father who had the cop on to bring him back to the scene. Should be longer than a 5 year sentence.

I was actually surprised it wasn't a suspended sentence, the lawyer played every note, partner waiting on baby, hard worker, survivor who's now in a wheelchair pleading for leniency, Judges usually swallow that stuff wholesale.

RandomViewer

TomSweeney wrote: »

It's easy to find religion and God/Jesus when you don't want to take responsibility for your actions ?

Used to halve sentences in the North, the defendant has found God and sees the error of his ways, think that's what they were trying here but it didn't wash.

SeanW

magicbastarder wrote: »

they do say if you want to kill someone and get away with it, do it with a car. he killed two people and left a third with lifelong injuries, through repeated and wilful actions.

if you did that with a weapon, you wouldn't be looking at five years.

If you want to kill someone, and then you do so, it's murder. And it is common for manslaughter cases to be treated more leniently than murder, for obvious reasons. Although you could argue that this sentence was unduly lenient, the "driver" in this case isn't exactly "getting away with it". He will go to jail, he will be banned from driving for a very long time, and the criminal record will likely haunt him forever. Unfortunately there does seem to be some weird dynamic in play in Donegal, that county seems to have a lot of fatalities.

Nobody in the car lived in Donegal. They only went to Bundoran when the nightclub opened. 10/15 minutes driving at normal speed would have had them back in Fermanagh.

Zebra3

Why shouldn’t the defendant claim all this nonsense about God and Jesus?

Have a look at the bs in the constitution. An absolute embarrassment.

So if it’s good enough for the state....

TP_CM

Zebra3 wrote: »

Why shouldn’t the defendant claim all this nonsense about God and Jesus?

Have a look at the bs in the constitution. An absolute embarrassment.

So if it’s good enough for the state....

Even God himself would be scratching his head on this one. "Sorry, what's all this now?!"

Thelonious Monk

Is there a culture of boy racers and drink driving in Donegal? Lovely place but I feel like I've read a lot about terrible crashes up there.

TheBoyConor

magicbastarder wrote: »

they do say if you want to kill someone and get away with it, do it with a car. he killed two people and left a third with lifelong injuries, through repeated and wilful actions.

if you did that with a weapon, you wouldn't be looking at five years.

Yeah you'd probably get a suspended sentence.

Ave Sodalis

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Is there a culture of boy racers and drink driving in Donegal? Lovely place but I feel like I've read a lot about terrible crashes up there.

There is definitely a car culture, but being entirely honest, when you're driving in Donegal and someone belts past, you can almost place money on the car having a yellow reg.

Strumms

gmisk wrote: »

Awful stuff.
Fled the scene is just the icing on the cake.

I know they were young but what were they thinking piling into the car with him?

A c*** AND a coward basically. Sounds like an absolute dreadful human being... then to come out with ‘gods plan’ codswallop. Then I’m forgetting it’s 2021, where personal responsibility is pretty unfashionable... think that sentence is about 4 years too light at best.

snoopy84

Deleted User wrote:

Theres a serious problem around driver culture in that county, theres no doubt about it unfortunately

Same where I grew up I'm appallingly ashamed to say. Wouldn't be uncommon for us to also fill the boot with passengers at the end of the night.
We all drove unroadworthy cars WAY underage. I used to drive a car with no brakes and relied on working down the gears then the handbrake, before I was even old enough to drive and I wasn't the only one (I'm actually disgusted with myself writing this)
A drunk driver hit me head on one night we were knocked out but thankfully we were ok, when I confronted the drunken bum the following day I was told he had done nothing wrong as I was underage.
We had a car that we had cut to bits taking the roof and doors off, the tourists would stop us for pictures. The guards passed us a couple of times in that one.
And who gave all of us the cars Our parents!
There has been a good few road deaths around there where the community gathered around them rather than shaming them. Including a very close family member of mine. One of the only times I can remember the victims family being angry with the driver and the community mocks and gossips her mother's grief, even witnesses in the inquest defended the driver and fabricated the truth.
Thankfully I believe attitudes are changing in that area but certainly not quickly enough.

magicbastarder

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Is there a culture of boy racers and drink driving in Donegal? Lovely place but I feel like I've read a lot about terrible crashes up there.

this is a good listen.

https://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/2016/0804/806861-we-decide-who-lives-or-dies/

Reminds me of another incident near Buncrana where the accident resulted in 8 fatalities from an overloaded Passat.

Think I read somewhere that driver had been done for other traffic offences since.

It's a really strange roads culture in Donegal.

seamus

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Is there a culture of boy racers and drink driving in Donegal? Lovely place but I feel like I've read a lot about terrible crashes up there.

It's a mixture of a load of things. Culturally, Donegal has a "wild west" feel to it. They're geographically and politically isolated, and it's a small county. So decades of being ignored by government has led to a sort of self-governance in Donegal.

The Gardai are still in authority, but they're also isolated from the mothership, so frequently do things their own way.

So corruption is quite widespread, and being a cute hoor is practically a local sport. Thus, "minor" laws like having a driving licence or insurance are not seen as important, drink-driving is grand just don't get caught.

There is also a rally culture that feeds into this. Hundreds of people gather a load of old bangers, pick a big field and race them in public. I don't think it's illegal, and isn't an awful sport, but it creates a cowboy culture in general when it comes to driving - the rallying doesn't stay at the races, and cars are toys to young people.

The comment above about "yellow regs" is another example of this. They're blaming northern irish drivers for poor driving, when in fact it's very common for Donegal people to buy and drive yellow regs in order to get around paying VRT and road tax. They also believe they're immune to being stopped by the Gardai because of the yellow reg.

Once again. Nobody in that car was from Donegal. The car wasn’t registered in Donegal either. They just happened to be in Donegal as that’s where the nearest nightclub was.

Bunny Colvin

seamus wrote: »

It's a mixture of a load of things. Culturally, Donegal has a "wild west" feel to it. They're geographically and politically isolated, and it's a small county. So decades of being ignored by government has led to a sort of self-governance in Donegal.

The Gardai are still in authority, but they're also isolated from the mothership, so frequently do things their own way.

So corruption is quite widespread, and being a cute hoor is practically a local sport. Thus, "minor" laws like having a driving licence or insurance are not seen as important, drink-driving is grand just don't get caught.

There is also a rally culture that feeds into this. Hundreds of people gather a load of old bangers, pick a big field and race them in public. I don't think it's illegal, and isn't an awful sport, but it creates a cowboy culture in general when it comes to driving - the rallying doesn't stay at the races, and cars are toys to young people.

The comment above about "yellow regs" is another example of this. They're blaming northern irish drivers for poor driving, when in fact it's very common for Donegal people to buy and drive yellow regs in order to get around paying VRT and road tax. They also believe they're immune to being stopped by the Gardai because of the yellow reg.

It's the fourth largest county in Ireland.

I'd say your paragraph on there being a rally culture makes the most sense. Young lads trying to live up to it and outdo each other, inevitable you'll have incidents like this especially when you add alcohol into the mix.