Four face trial in relation to death-crash car theft

Mark Smith (23), Kevin Valliday (26), Mark Toner (30), and Francis Lavery (28) stood in the dock at Lisburn Magistrates Court on Monday facing a number of charges relating to the crash.

All four were charged with stealing a Subaru Impreza car that killed friends Conor Rules (23) and Patrick McAllister (24) on June 28, 2010.

Mr Rules, from Knockcairn Lodge in Dundrod and Mr McAllister, from Glasvey Close in Twinbrook, died following a collision that seriously injured four other occupants of the vehicle in a single car crash.

All six were discovered by emergency crews in piled wreckage in a field, each suffering from horrific injuries after they were thrown from the vehicle on impact.

The car had been stolen earlier from Maralin Avenue in Lisburn.

The car smashed through a hedge and then landed in a field on the Leathemstown Road in Dundrod before bursting into flames.

Following the accident all the victims were taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, three of them were in a critical condition. Mr Rules and Mr McAllister died later in hospital.

The prosecution lawyer submitted a prima facie case against the four men and none of their solicitors made any contrary claims.

When asked if they wished to give evidence themselves or call any witnesses on their own behalf, each man said ‘no.’

They were all were released on their own bail of £500 and ordered to appear at Craigavon Crown Court for arraignment on November 28.

Their solicitors asked for senior QCs to be appointed to the case given what was described as the “extremely unique issues”.

District Judge Rosemary Watters said it was her view that such a decision was “best made by a Crown Court judge”.