Man avoids jail over crash that killed girlfriend

Community service after 'accident that will haunt him forever'

- BY STEPHEN MAGUIRE

A YOUNG man whose girlfriend was killed after she was ejected from his car when it flipped on a country road after hitting a bump has avoided going to jail.

Conor Lynagh appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court after he pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of Charlotte Kelly.

The 17-year-old died a number of days after the single-vehicle crash which happened at Meenlaragh, Glen, Carrigart, Co Donegal, on May 1, 2022.

Lynagh, 21, of Abbey Village, Kilmacrennan, Co Donegal, also had a charge of driving a vehicle while holding a learner's permit without a qualified and accompanied driver taken into consideration.

Detective Garda Martina Venneman, of Garda Headquarters in Dublin, outlined the details of the tragic incident to barrister for the state, Fiona Crawford, BL.

The couple and Ms Kelly's nephew, William Hutchinson, were travelling to Downings at roughly 9pm on what was described as a good night for driving.