Man jailed for crash that left brother without left leg

A 24-year-old man has been jailed for two years for dangerous driving causing serious injury to his brother who lost his leg in the high-speed crash in Co Westmeath last year.

Gerard Duffy McAndrew of Ben View, Rathcorbally, Monilea, Westmeath, was the driver of an Audi car which crashed in Rathowen village in the early hours of 23 March 2025.

His passenger and brother Stephen Murphy, aged 29, who had been adopted and recently reconnected with the family, was thrown from the car, which was travelling at least three times the speed limit.

Judge Keenan Johnson said it is "one of the worst cases of dangerous driving that he has ever had to deal with" and an "absolute tragedy" not only for the victim but for the whole family.

Mullingar Circuit Court heard that Gerard Duffy McAndrew had been drinking on the day of the crash and was four times over the legal limit.

The court heard he had also taken cannabis.

Stephen Murphy sustained catastrophic injuries in the collision, resulting in the young man losing his left leg from above the knee, ten days after the crash.

Such was the force of the crash, the court heard, that Mr Murphy's seatbelt snapped and the car disintegrated on impact, causing damage to two other cars in the village and to the roofs of a number of houses.

Judge Johnson described the excessive speeds recorded as "quite shocking", adding that it was an absolute miracle that the two occupants survived.

Judge Johnson said it was clear there was an element of bravado and showing off.

Mullingar Circuit Court heard that a video had been recovered from the phone belonging to Duffy McAndrew, which had been recorded shortly before the crash.

In the video the 24-year-old is seen driving the car, while holding and drinking from a bottle of wine and the passenger is asleep.

The video had a caption 'Roscommons a bad influence, beer, steer and go".

Judge Keenan Johnson said the accumulation of "speed, drink and drugs" along with making a video made it extremely dangerous.

However, he said he could not doubt the sincerity of the remorse shown by Gerard Duffy McAndrew and that this was out of character.

The court heard Duffy McAndrew was a talented apprentice stonemason and had stopped drinking and taking drugs following the crash.

Judge Johnson said he was sorry he had to impose a custodial sentence, but the court had been left with no other option and it had to act as a deterrent to others who may consider similar actions.

He acknowledged the case had been traumatic for everyone and he hoped that with the passage of time, all of those involved could rebuild their lives.

Taking it all into consideration, Judge Johnson sentenced Duffy McAndrew to five years in prison, suspending three years and he disqualified him from driving for four years.

At sentencing today, Judge Johnson praised the emergency services and the good samaritans who attended the scene on the night of the crash.

Evidence heard

At a previous sentencing hearing, Sergeant Alan Brehon told the court that a number of witnesses reported hearing a loud bang in the village of Rathowen at around 2.30am.

One driver who was travelling from Dublin to Longford said the Audi went to undertake him on the N4, the main Dublin to Sligo road at great speed.

Minutes later, Mullingar Circuit Court heard, the driver came across the car after it had hit two trees and crashed in the village of Rathowen.

Another woman who lived in the village reported hearing a noise which sounded like exploding timber.

The court heard the car had entered the village at high speed, hit a kerb, two trees and lost a wheel.

Mullingar Circuit Court heard how the battery of the car ended up lodged in the engine of another car which was parked in the village.

There was also damage to roof tiles on two-storey houses in the village.

Sergeant Brehon told the court that when the car came to a stop 135 metres from where the collision happened and the needle on the speedometer was frozen at 195km/h.

Evidence read into the court from a paramedic at the scene heard how she had never seen leg injuries like it before, and she explained how Mr Murphy had to have his legs bound together so he wouldn't bleed out.

The court heard how the men had travelled to Portrunny in Co Roscommon earlier that day as Duffy McAndrews wanted to cheer his brother up after he had broken up with his girlfriend.

CCTV from various cameras between Ballinalack and Rathowen calculated the car to be travelling at speeds of between 155 and 163km/h.

The court also heard the driver was not wearing a seatbelt and the passenger's seatbelt had snapped in the collision.

Duffy McAndrew had no NCT, no motor tax and no insurance on the car he was driving.

Mullingar Circuit Court also heard that toxicology reports showed Duffy McAndrew had cannabis and alcohol in his system on the night of the crash.

Full of sorrow and guilt

At the sentencing hearing, Duffy McAndrew apologised to his brother and said he wakes up every day full of sorrow and guilt and goes to bed feeling the same.

He told the court how he had only found out that he had a brother a year a half before the crash and they had been "inseparable" since then.

Apologising to his brother, he said he struggles to put into words how he feels and he has not been able to look him in the eye knowing he is responsible for his injuries.

He said he would like to be able to re-build his relationship with his brother and will be there to help in the future.

He apologised to his parents and sister for the worry and stress he has put them though and said it is hard seeing the toll it has taken on them.

Duffy McAndrew said he is forever grateful to the emergency services and witnesses who worked to save his brothers life.

He also apologised the emergency services and witnesses for what they had to see "because of someone else's stupidity".

His mother Catherine McAndrew told the court that her life has been in turmoil since the crash and urged the judge to consider a lenient sentence.