Rochdale teenager involved in two fatal collisions jailed
Alan McDonagh killed a friend in a police chase while on bail, after being in a stolen car that killed a man in a collision two months earlier
A disqualified driver from Rochdale, who killed a friend in a police pursuit while on bail after being in a stolen car that killed a man in a collision two months earlier, has been jailed for nine years.
Alan McDonagh (19) was sentenced today (29 September) at Manchester Crown Court after admitting death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving whilst disqualified, causing death by driving whilst unlicensed, causing death by driving whilst uninsured, and aggravated vehicle taking causing death.
The teenager – aged 18 during his offending – admitted stealing a Skoda Superb from Royle Barn Road in Rochdale on 5 January, before the vehicle was driven a day later on false plates and fatally collided with a pedestrian on Milnrow Road just moments after being seen to be speeding and overtaking.
The pedestrian – a 50-year-old man – was taken to hospital where he died from his injuries days later.
Despite the critical injuries he’d inflicted on his victim, McDonagh and his accomplice Patrick Doran (32) drove away from the scene at high-speed and eventually abandoned the car on Percy Street.
Police found McDonagh’s DNA in the stolen vehicle before officers detained and questioned him in custody, where he denied being involved.
Also arrested was Doran, of Croxton Avenue, Rochdale, who was later found guilty of vehicle taking in an aggravated manner causing death and has now also been jailed for five years.
As enquiries continued into the collision, McDonagh was released on bail but it wasn’t long before he came to attention of officers in tragic circumstances again.
On the night of 20 March, McDonagh had been given permission by his friend to drive his BMW 318 when we spotted it driving suspiciously slow and indicated for it to pull over.
McDonagh sped off from officers and a short pursuit ensued in the direction of Heywood before he lost control and collided with the central barrier, another car, and a building at such speed that he and his friend were thrown out of the vehicle leaving McDonagh and his friend requirement hospital treatment.
McDonagh’s friend died in hospital and McDonagh was arrested once he was deemed physically fit enough to be brought into custody.
The Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) again interviewed McDonagh who was now to be charged with death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving whilst disqualified, causing death by driving whilst unlicensed, causing death by driving whilst uninsured, and aggravated vehicle taking causing death.
He pleaded guilty to all the offences and has now been sentenced to nine years in jail.
Doran was sentenced to five years in prison following his conviction of aggravated vehicle taking causing death.
Sergeant Andrew Page, of our SCIU, said: “It is difficult to comprehend the impact of Alan McDonagh’s and Patrick Doran’s reckless and ultimately fatal actions, as they have destroyed not one but two families’ lives.
“They not only showed no regard for anyone but themselves during either incident, but they have since offered nothing in the way of genuine remorse or compassion for their inexcusable actions.
“It’s a sad but very real part of our job that we often see the devastating impact of criminally dangerous behaviour on our roads, but these tragic events would largely be avoidable if everyone took extra care for those around them who are also wanting to use our streets safely.
“Offenders like McDonagh and Doran are exactly the reason we are doing so much more proactive work to ensure that Greater Manchester’s roads are safer for us all by tackling dangerous, disqualified, uninsured drivers so that fewer families have to receive the most terrible news that their loved one’s life has been so cruelly taken away.”