Teenager admits causing death of two gardaí
An 18-year-old youth has admitted causing the death of two gardaí when the stolen sports car he was driving rammed into their patrol car.
Raymond Dowdall, aged 18, from Galtymore Road, Drimnagh, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to reckless endangerment and dangerous driving causing the deaths of Garda Michael Padden and Garda Anthony Tighe on the Stillorgan Road on April 14, 2002.
Shane Murphy SC, prosecuting, told Judge Desmond Hogan that the sentence hearing would take approximately an hour and it should be put in to a list that would facilitate it.
Mr Murphy added that the prosecution wished to prepare evidence from the family of the victims to show how they have been affected by the incident.
Peter Finlay SC, for Dowdall, said he would not be looking for a probation report on his client but might need some other reports and could have a psychological report on the day. Judge Hogan adjourned the sentence until December 3.
Dowdall was originally charged with manslaughter but last week his counsel informed Judge Hogan that the case could be taken out of a trial list and listed for arraignment indicating that Dowdall would be entering a plea.
The two gardaí died after their patrol car was rammed by a stolen Mazda MX5 in the early hours of the day in question.
A co-accused of Dowdall was sentenced to four-years detention last January for being a passenger in the car.
The 17-year-old youth pleaded guilty to unlawfully taking possession of a mechanically propelled vehicle and allowing himself to be carried in a stolen vehicle on the day in question.
The youth also admitted stealing a mobile phone, a set of car keys, two sets of house keys, a cheque and a wallet containing cash and bank and credit cards, from an apartment at Bullock Harbour, Dalkey. He can't be named for legal reasons.
Last January Judge Katherin Delahunt ordered that his sentence commence at St Patrick's Institute on March 15, 2004 when his current detention at Trinity House will be completed.
She also said that he should have been in Trinity House on the day of the "joyride" but a place was not available for him there. He was also disqualified from driving for a period of 10 years.
Members of Garda Tighe's family were in court to witness Dowdall entering his plea and they watched anxiously as he admitted his role in the death of their husband and father.
