Inquest held into Moyross woman’s road death

An inquest into the death of a Moyross woman who died in a road traffic accident last year was told today how the woman’s boyfriend had lied when he told Gardai he wasn’t driving the car in which she died.

25-year-old Kathleen Barrett from the Moyross area of Limerick was travelling with her boyfriend when the car they were in left the road around 3.25am near Rathduff on the Cork to Mallow road last February 18th.

Jeffrey McGuane had been driving the car with Kathleen Barrett as a passenger, despite having consumed more than eight alcoholic drinks, when the car they crashed killing her instantly. When Gardai arrived at the scene Mr. McGuane had already exited the vehicle and told arriving Gardai that he was not the driver, a version which the media along with this blog reported the following day.He was removed to hospital for treatment. It was at the scene a few hours later that Gardai became suspicious about Mr. McGuanes story and went to question him in hospital. They were unable however to gain a urine or blood sample from him as a limit of three hours had passed since the accident.

It was a few months after the crash before Jeffrey McGuane finally owned up to Gardai informing them he was driving the car, yet drink driving charges could still not be brought.

He was however found guilty of driving without a licence and insurance, and received a €1,250 fine along with a 12-month driving ban.

Speaking after the inquest today, Rose Barrett, the victim’s mother said that if hospital staff had powers to take blood samples then Mr. McGuane would have faced drink driving charges.

The inquest returned a verdict of misadventure at today’s hearing.