Ireland Case No. 29626Careless driving causing death · Co. Monaghan · 30 Jul 2012
Woman pleads guilty to careless driving causing death in Monaghan
Colleen McCann, 26, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of 17-year-old Ciaran McKenna in a crash at Maghernakill, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, in the early hours of 30 July 2012. The car left the road, launched into the air and hit a tree, and McKenna, a front-seat passenger and minor footballer with Crossmaglen Rangers, was trapped in the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. McCann was originally charged with dangerous driving causing death but admitted the lesser offence at Monaghan Circuit Court in October 2021. She had been deported from the United States in February 2017 to face the charges and was arrested under a 2014 bench warrant. Her sentencing is scheduled before Judge John Aylmer at Monaghan Circuit Court.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court9 Oct
2 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Colleen McCann pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of Ciaran McKenna in a road crash.
- The car left the road, went into a gravelled area, launched into the air and hit a tree, and McKenna was trapped in the vehicle and had to be cut free.
- Ciaran McKenna, a 17-year-old front-seat passenger and minor footballer with Crossmaglen Rangers, was pronounced dead at the scene.
- McCann sustained a broken arm and a collapsed lung and spent a week in intensive care following the crash.
- Where
- The crash occurred at Maghernakill, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.
- When
- The crash occurred in the early hours of 30 July 2012.
- Cause
- Forensic collision investigators found the car was travelling at around 72km/h, while Detective Garda Keiran Marks said there was no evidence of excessive speed.
- Investigation
- McCann was charged following an investigation by gardai from Carrickmacross station and was arrested under a 2014 bench warrant.
- In court
- McCann went on trial at Monaghan Circuit Court charged with dangerous driving causing death and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of careless driving causing death.
- Her sentencing is scheduled before Judge John Aylmer at Monaghan Circuit Court.
- Sentence
- The maximum sentence for careless driving causing death at circuit court level is two years in jail and a €10,000 fine.
- Other details
- McCann was deported from the United States in February 2017 to face the charges.
- The car was owned by the deceased and was in good condition with no defects, and the front wheel was found over 70 metres from the crash site.
39 statements extracted from the articles
- whatColleen McCann admitted causing the death of a man in Co Monaghan almost 10 years ago (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCiaran McKenna, who played for Crossmaglen Rangers, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the crash (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMcCann spent a week in ICU following the incident (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe 17-year-old was trapped in the car following the accident and had to be cut free (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCiaran McKenna was a minor footballer with Crossmaglen Rangers (rte.ie)
- whatThe car left the road, went into a gravelled area, launched into the air and hit a tree (rte.ie)
- whatForensic collision investigators found the car was travelling at around 72km/h (rte.ie)
- whatThe front wheel of the car was found over 70 metres away (rte.ie)
- whatThe car was owned by the deceased and was in good condition with no defects (rte.ie)
- whatMcCann sustained a broken arm and a collapsed lung in the collision (rte.ie)
- whatMcCann said she suffered from retrograde amnesia but no medical evidence was provided (rte.ie)
- whatMcCann is a mother of one and pregnant with her second child (rte.ie)
- whatCiaran McKenna was a front-seat passenger in the car (rte.ie)
- whereThe crash occurred at Maghernakill, Castleblayney (rte.ie)
- whenCiaran McKenna died in a road crash at Magherakill, Castleblayney, on July 30, 2012 (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe crash occurred in the early hours of 30 July 2012 (rte.ie)
- investigationMcCann was charged following an investigation by gardai from Carrickmacross station (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationDetective Garda Bobby Ogle told the court in 2017 that McCann had been arrested under a 2014 bench warrant (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí made numerous attempts to speak to McCann after the incident but could not locate her (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationDetective Garda Keiran Marks said there was no evidence of excessive speed (rte.ie)
- investigationProfessor Jack Crane, former state pathologist in Northern Ireland, confirmed beyond doubt she was in the driving seat (rte.ie)
- chargeThe DPP ordered gardai to charge Flynn with the 2013 armed robbery of the Lordship Credit Union outside Dundalk in Co Louth (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe DPP ordered Flynn be charged with conspiring with Brady and others to commit burglaries between September 11, 2012 and January 23, 2013 (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeMcCann pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of her 17-year-old friend (rte.ie)
- courtMcCann went on trial at Monaghan Circuit Court charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Ciaran McKenna near Castleblayney in July 2012 (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHer sentence hearing was due to be held in Monaghan Circuit Court the following Friday (irishmirror.ie)
- courtMcCann has been on bail since she first appeared in court on the dangerous driving charge in February 2017 (irishmirror.ie)
- courtBrady is the only person convicted of the murder of Detective Garda Donohoe and is currently appealing that conviction (irishmirror.ie)
- courtJudge John Aylmer will sentence McCann on Wednesday (rte.ie)
- courtThe hearing took place at Monaghan Circuit Court (rte.ie)
- sentenceThe maximum sentence for careless driving causing death at circuit court level is two years in jail and a €10,000 fine (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe top penalty for dangerous driving causing death is 10 years in prison (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHer first court hearing came hours after she landed in Dublin Airport following her deportation from the United States (irishmirror.ie)
- otherFlynn, from south Armagh, was a close personal friend of Aaron Brady, 30, but they later fell out (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMcCann moved to America with Flynn but was deported by US authorities in February 2017 (irishmirror.ie)
- otherA huge funeral service was held in Crossmaglen for Ciaran McKenna in August 2012, attended by hundreds of GAA players and supporters (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMcCann was deported from the US in 2017 to face charges (rte.ie)
- otherCiaran McKenna's mother Mary McKenna said the family had been broken by the loss (rte.ie)
- otherCiaran McKenna should have been celebrating his 27th birthday at the end of October 2021 (rte.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 15 Oct2021Woman apologises for causing death of friend in crash
First report of the Monaghan Circuit Court hearing in which McCann pleaded guilty; sentencing scheduled for 20 October 2021.
accused, Colleen McCann, 26, female, named, irish (judged from name)Colleen McCannvictim, Ciaran McKenna, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Ciaran McKenna - 9 Oct2021Wife of suspect in Garda Adrian Donohoe robbery faces possible jail sentence
Adds details about McCann's connection to the Donohoe murder case through her husband James Flynn, the circumstances of the crash (she was trapped and cut free, spent a week in ICU), the 2014 bench warrant, her deportation from the US in February 2017, the maximum sentences for the offences, and the funeral of Ciaran McKenna in Crossmaglen.
victim, Ciaran McKenna, 17, male, irish (judged from name)Ciaran McKennaaccused, Colleen McCann, 26, female, named, irish (judged from name)Colleen McCann