A Longford secondary school teacher who drove a Porsche, while drunk, and crashed it, resulting in the death of young pilot, Brian McGinnity, has been jailed for 28 months, with the final 12 months suspended. Joseph Farrell of Stonepark, Ballymacormack, Longford, appeared before Judge Connolly at Longford Circuit Court this week, charged with dangerous driving causing death in the early hours of December 18, 2021.
Garda Karl Foley, in his evidence to the court, said Mr Farrell had been friends with Mr McGinnity and that the pair had been socialising in Longford town on December 17, before agreeing to go to Mr McGinnity's family home in Killoe. The pair chose to drive Mr McGinnity's Porsche 911, with Mr Farrell getting behind the wheel.
Garda Foley explained how, coming around a left-turning bend on the Cullyfad road at Coolnahinch, Mr Farrell lost control of the vehicle, veering onto the wrong side of the road and rotating anti-clockwise. The rear driver's side of the vehicle then collided with a tree, causing the car to rotate clockwise, until the front driver's side of the car collided with another tree and was flipped onto its roof.
The court heard Garda Foley's account of arriving at the scene, where he described Mr Farrell as "hysterical", "crying" and "unsteady on his feet", with a smell of alcohol coming from him. At 1.22am, Mr Farrell complied with an alcohol test and failed. The 26 year old pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and took full responsibility for what happened on the night of the incident. Garda Foley told the court that there was no evidence of speeding or joy riding on the night of the incident.
A victim impact statement, read in court by Owen McGinnity, described the sight of two Gardaí in his house the next morning and the sounds of his daughters crying as things he will never forget. However, he added, the family did not want any severe punishment inflicted on Mr Farrell. "We can't bring Brian back but we know he wouldn't want Joseph to suffer any more," he said. Mr Farrell, taking to the witness box, said he frequently thought it would be preferable if he had died instead of Brian.
"It is very clear that both Mr McGinnity and Mr Farrell were in the car voluntarily, but only one of them committed a crime," said Judge Kenneth Connolly during the sentence hearing. He proceeded to sentence Mr Farrell to 28 months in prison, with the final 12 months suspended for two years. Mr Farrell was also disqualified from driving for seven years from the date of sentencing. ]
