Bail refused to teen accused of killing best friend in car chase

A Belfast teenager accused of killing his best friend during a high-speed chase with police in Co Down has been refused bail for what a judge described as his 'repeated and sustained breaches' of previous bail conditions.

By The Newsroom

Published 14th Mar 2016, 16:13 BST

Updated 14th Mar 2016, 16:34 BST

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is awaiting trial on five separate charges in relation to the accident 15 months ago.

He is accused of causing the death of his 18-year-old friend Conal Daly, causing grievous bodily injury to Sisters of Mercy nun Josephine McAleer, dangerous driving, two counts of assault on police and causing criminal damage to a PSNI vehicle.

The charges relate to an accident which happened on the Saintfield Road in Carryduff on the evening of October 16, 2014.

Downpatrick Crown Court heard that the defendant had previously been released on “stringent bail conditions”.

Prosecutor Sam Magee told Judge Piers Grant: “He has repeatedly breached all previous bail conditions imposed on him.

“In total he has breached his bail conditions on 26 occasions which include numerous breaches of his curfew.”

Belfast PSNI