Anger at death of priest in 'joyrider' crash

Last Sunday morning Father Sean McCartan had just said Mass in the Church of the Sacred Heart at Cloughoge parish, Newry.

Last Sunday morning Father Sean McCartan had just said Mass in the Church of the Sacred Heart at Cloughoge parish, Newry.

He got into his car and was on his way to the other main church in the parish, at Killeen near the Border, when he was killed by a so-called joyrider.

His friend and parishioner, Mr Frank Feeley, who is also the Mayor of Newry, said there was great anger at Father McCartan's needless death and called for mandatory sentencing of 10 to 12 years for people convicted of killing someone while driving a stolen car.

"The feeling here is that he was murdered. There is great anger at his death. He was a popular, charming and very ordinary guy. He had been my parish priest for the last 10 years," Mr Feeley said yesterday.

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The funerals take place this morning of both Father McCartan (64) and Mr Martin James Kelly (20), who was driving the stolen car that smashed into the priest's, killing both instantly.

Gardaí have confirmed that Mr Kelly had been arrested in Dundalk for drinking and driving at 5 a.m. that morning, 4½ hours before the accident.

He was stopped by gardaí and when tested using the intoxyliser found to be over the limit. After being processed in the Garda station he was released and stole the car he would later die in.

Although he lived in Barrack Street in Dundalk, Mr Kelly was from the Newry area and the accident happened on the main Dundalk-Newry road near Cloughoge roundabout on the outskirts of Newry.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland says the stolen car was heading northwards and rounded a bend, lost control and crossed the road into the path of the oncoming car, driven by Father McCartan.The PSNI is appealing for anyone who witnessed the accident to contact it.

Father McCartan had worked in Dundalk before moving to Cloughoge in 1993.

Cllr Feeley said the problem was becoming a scourge like terrorism, and "the tragedy is that these people are let back on to the road again.

"I believe there should be special courts to deal with people who steal cars and they should be held in custody until the court appearances. We need swift justice as well as mandatory sentencing."