THERE was not a "scintilla" of evidence to support claims that a garda threw a rock at a stolen car just before it crashed and caused the deaths of three Dublin teenagers, Dublin Coroner's Court heard yesterday.
Garda Supt Eamon Courtney, from Navan Garda station, told the inquest he had conducted an extensive inquiry into the claims of two of the crash survivors that a rock had been thrown at the stolen car by a garda from an unmarked patrol car.
He said that from his study of log books and statements from 15 people, he was "quite satisfied" no unmarked Garda patrol car had responded to the incident last summer.
Supt Courtney was giving evidence at the inquest into the deaths of Gary Cunningham (16) from Drumheath Avenue Mulhuddart, David Gray (14) from Corduff Park, Blanchardstown and Conan Rooney (15) from Drumheath Gardens, Mulhuddart. They died when the stolen car in which they had been travelling burst into flames after hitting a tree at Ratoath, Co Meath, early on August 23rd, 1995.
The court heard the three died from multiple injuries.
The court heard the three died from multiple injuries.
Two crash survivors, Mr Joseph Dempsey (18) from Sheephill Park and John Rothwell (16) from Drumheath Avenue, said in statements, read to the inquest, that they had been driving at speed in the stolen car in Ladyswell, west Dublin, after 3 a.m. when they were chased by a Garda patrol car.
Mr Dempsey said they lost this car after 10 minutes. They continued to drive until they saw flashing lights ahead and turned back. He said they were driving towards Ladyswell when they saw a white unmarked police car parked by the road which they initially thought was a farmer 5, car. They began to panic.
When they drove past the car a brick was thrown and struck the stolen car on the right side. Mr Dempsey said the car driver, Mr Cunningham, then "put his foot to the floor" and drove around a bend. The car skidded and crashed into a tree.
Replying to questions from Mr Francis Cassidy, from the Chief State Solicitor's Office, Mr Dempsey said he was certain the car was white and they had known that it was a police car. Mr Rothwell, hospitalised for three weeks after the incident, said he did not know if the car was white.
The Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, told the six member jury that a verdict of unlawful killing was not open to them for legal reasons.
The jury returned verdicts of death by misadventure in each of the three cases.