Co Down man's guilty plea over crash which killed teenager nearly five years ago is finally accepted

In November last year 23-year-old Stephen Rooney entered guilty pleas to causing the death of Samuel McCullough and to severely injuring two other men by careless driving but at that stage, the PPS said the pleas to the lesser offences “are not accepted by the Crown.”

At a number of reviews since then, the PPS maintained their intention to prosecute Rooney for the more serious offences of causing death and grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving.

Today at Downpatrick Crown Court however, where the grieving family and friends of Samuel filled half of the public gallery, prosecuting KC Laura Ievers told Judge Geoffrey Miller KC “we can accept those pleas.”

She explained the decision was taken after she had recently been instructed by the PPS and having reviewed the case and consulted with the regional prosecutor.

Commenting that “these are tragic and sensitive cases,” the judge highlighted that it was almost five years since the tragic accident on the Coily Road in Killyleagh claimed the life of Mr McCullough and left two other victims seriously injured.

“I appreciate that in the intervening period so much of life was disrupted by the Covid pandemic but really, it is regrettable in the extreme that this case has taken so long,” said the judge adding “it is even more regrettable that as far back as 22nd November last year…that Mr Rooney entered these guilty pleas.”

The facts have not yet been fully revealed in court but it was reported at the time that 18-year-old Mr McCullough was the front seat passenger in one of two cars involved in the RTC which occurred just after midnight.

Six other young people, four males and two females, were injured in the accident and taken to hospital.

In court today Judge Miller said that since that time, the teenager’s family have “continued to grieve” and the two other victims “have been in a state of limbo” but he told Rooney, standing in the dock wearing a navy suit, shirt and tie, he had not lost sight of the fact the case had been hanging over him too.

Expressing his sympathy and condolences to Mr McCullough’s grieving family, “there are no winners in a case of this nature,” Judge Miller told the court, “young lives have been irreparably damaged and families, parents and siblings have been affected and ultimately, this court will have to reach a decision on what the appropriate sentence will be.”

Defence KC Niall Hunt suggested the case be adjourned to allow time for the probation board to compile a pre-sentence report, adding that no other professional reports would be obtained by the defence team.

Judge Miller said while he would adjourn the case he was conscious to try to avoid the five year anniversary of the tragedy and while he freed Rooney on bail, he warned him that “there can be no question of the custody threshold not being passed.”

The question for him would be the length of sentence and whether it would be immediate or suspended but in the meantime, he imposed a driving ban on Rooney to start from today.

Freeing the self-confessed killer driver on bail, Judge Miller said he would pass sentence on 27 June.