Man jailed for causing death by careless driving of Eamonn McCafferty

Officers from the PSNI’s Collision Investigation Unit have welcomed the sentence handed down to a 22-year-old man for causing the death by careless driving of a man in his 50s almost four years ago.

Bliain O’Connor, from Derry’s Edenmore Street, pleaded guilty in March this year.

He was sentenced at Derry Crown Court today, Friday, May 6, to 20 months imprisonment and disqualified from driving for three years.

Eamonn McCafferty was 58 years old when he died after being struck by a blue Hyundai i10 car.

The car was driven by O’Connor as he walked along the Foreglen Road in Claudy with his wife in the early hours of Saturday, August 18, 2018.

Sergeant Joanne Boyd of the CIU said: “Today’s sentence handed down to Mr O’Connor is welcome, but will not ease the pain and loss for Eamonn’s family and friends.

“Mr O’Connor, who was 18 years old at the time of the collision, and an ‘R’ plate driver restricted to 45mph, was found to have been driving his car in excess of 90 miles per hour seconds before the tragic collision occurred.

“No-one should be travelling on our roads at these speeds let alone an inexperienced young driver in what was a completely avoidable situation.

“Our thoughts today remain with the family of Eamonn.”

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