Boy died of brain injury after pony and trap, truck collided

A 12-year-old boy died of traumatic brain injury when the pony and trap he was travelling on collided with a truck.

Seán David Doyle, of Melrose Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, was one of three friends travelling on the pony and trap on St Cuthbert's Road in Clondalkin around 1.40pm on February 26th last. The other two boys escaped unharmed.

An inquest into Seán’s death at Dublin Coroner’s Court heard that gardaí are seeking a criminal prosecution in relation to the incident.

The boy's grandfather, Joseph Doyle, gave evidence of how he identified Seán's body at Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin on February 29th last.

Insp Paul Costello of Clondalkin Garda Station told Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane he was seeking a six month adjournment of the inquest to allow a Garda file to be completed and submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

“We will be asking the DPP to consider a criminal prosecution directly in relation to this matter,” Insp Costello said.

A postmortem carried out by Dr Michael McDermott found the boy died due to extensive cerebral damage.

Seán was a pupil at Scoil Talbot primary school in Bawnogue. He loved horses and loved riding on the horse and cart with friends, the inquest heard. The horse pulling the trap in which he was travelling belonged to a friend.

The boy’s parents Stacey and David were not present in court.

Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane extended her sympathies to the boy’s grandparents and adjourned the inquest for further mention until December 15th.