Families Bereaved Through Car Crime

June 6th 1996 i s a day Marguerite Gallagher will never forget- it was the day she buried her grandson and her sister had a miscarriage and just hours later the mother of-four lost her son to so called "joyriders." Six years later, a man who was arrested in connection with the death of her 26year-old-son Dermot ,has never been tried or convicted. The Turf  Lodge man, who is now 24, has never appeared in court to answer the charges against him. Although a bench warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to ap pear in court, the police have never executed it, despite the coroner also referring the case back to the DPP in 2000". Marguerite fails to hold back the tears as she speaks of her beloved son. She feels utterly betrayed by the judicial system. "Another man, who was convicted for allowing himself to be carried in the stolen car that killed Dermot in West Belfast, was handed down just 60 hours community service".

Margurerite said "The 60 hours community service that one of the lads was given was an insult but the fact that a five-year-old bench warrant has never been executed for the guy the police believe was driving the car says it all. I feel as if nobody gives a damn and that justice has not been done. To me, the people who killed Dermot have effectively got away with murder; he,Dermot, was a one week wonder and after that I felt that nobody wanted to listen to me about his death; it was devastating and I was in a terrible state over it all." Margurerite, describes the week of her sons death as "sheer hell". She said,"That was a nightmare week  and it's a miracle I came through it, at all;  I never would have survived it without the strength of my family. My daughter had given birth on the Sunday to a baby son and because of complications he only lived for roughly 10 minutes. On Wednesday afternoon the baby was buried and my sister, who had been trying for a baby for 20 years,had a miscarriage; it was a nightmare time for us all "

"The night it happened, I was very upset for some reason and I didn`t sleep well; I woke up early the next morning and heard on the news that someone had been killed by so called 'joyriders'. "Nothing registered with me at that stage but when I heard the news again I started to worry; a fuller description of the victim was given out on the 10o'clock news and I knew in my heart that it was Dermot".

Marguerite left work and went straight to Andersonstown police station where her worst fears were confirmed. She said "The last time I saw Dermot was at the funeral; he was wearing a suit and I told him he looked lovely. That was the last thing I ever said to him. He had gone out with his brother, sister-in-law and some friends in Turf Lodge that night; he left the club at about midnight without telling anyone he was going home, but he never made it. Apparently he came across a girl and fellow having an argument and he intervened and the guy beat him up. He was lying on the road in Gortnamona when he was run over by the 'joyrider thugs'. He had multiple injuries and was dead on arrival at hospital at one a.m" ;  Marguerite is furious at the way her sons death was handled by the authorities.

"I only found out about Dermots death nine hours later; I went to the police station on a suspicion and they were able to confirm there and then that it was my son who had been killed".

"Why did no one notify me of Dermots death when the police had already identified him?. I made a complaint to the Ombudsman's office about the police handling of the investigation and the fact that none had been apprehended for Dermots death but they said they" weren't able to look into the case because of time constraints".

"The matter is now in the hands of my solicitor and as far as I am concerned, this case is still open. Too many  questions remain unanswered and justice has yet to be seen to be done". Marguerite is still coming to terms with the death of her son who was due to get married nine months after he was killed. "Dermot had been with his fiancée, Maria, since he was 16 and they were to get married in March the following year; all the preparations hade been made and Maria had even bought her wedding dress; their daughter ,Kirsty, was only six when her daddy died. " All  I have left of Dermot  is the part that survives in Kirsty; she is a wee blessing to us all," said Maria. Marguerite added: "People think it gets easier but his death still affects me ; I`m angry, hurt and frustrated that I can`t do anything ; nothing will bring him back. The only thing   I can do now is fight for the law to be changed so "joyrider" thugs, receive tougher sentences. I want to do this for other families because I don`t want anyone else going through what ,we and other families, are still going through. Every time someone else is killed , in similar circumstances, it brings it all back; it opens up all the old wounds. People say I have been to hell and back; but I am still in hell and I don`t think anybody can do anything for me; Dermot is dead and  nothing can change that; the only thing that could ease my suffering  is justice ,not only for Dermot and this family, but for all the victims of  so called 'joyriding; and if we can stop one "Death Driver" getting into a car then we will have achieved something positive".

Gallagher Family