Kilmacrennan man tenders guilty plea in court over girlfriend’s death

A Donegal man charged with causing his girlfriend's death in a road traffic crash has pleaded guilty.

Charlotte Kelly died after the car in which she was a passenger crashed on June 1, 2022.

The car was being driven by Ms Kelly's boyfriend, Conor Lynagh.

At Letterkenny Circuit Court, Lynagh tendered a guilty plea to a charge in connection with the death of the then 17-year-old.

He was charged that on May 1, 2022 at Meenlaragh, Glen, Carrigart, he did drive a vehicle without due care and attention thereby causing the death of another person, namely Charlotte Kelly. The charge is Contrary to Section 52(1) and 52 (2) (a) of the Road Traffic Act 1961.

A 20-year-old of Abbey Village, Kilmacrennan, Lynagh spoke only to plead guilty when he was formally arraigned before Judge Roderick Maguire.

Lynagh’s barrister, Mr Colm Smyth SC, instructed by solicitor Mr Frank Dorrian, requested the preparation of a probation and welfare report.

There was no objection to Lynagh being remanded on continuing bail.

Judge Maguire sought a probation and welfare report and adjourned the matter until October.

Lynagh has also been charged that being the holder of a learner permit which required him to be accompanied by and under supervision by a qualified person when driving a mechanically propelled vehicle, did drive a mechanically propelled vehicle, while he was not accompanied by such a qualified person.

Barrister for the State, Ms Fiona Crawford BL, said this was a summary matter and Lynagh’s plea to careless driving causing death was on a “without prejudice basis”.