Killer Biker Sentenced

A court has heard that it took a three-hour search operation to catch a Tallaght man who killed a teenage schoolgirl while speeding on his uninsured motorbike.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court Judge Katherine Delahunt jailed Barry Fowler (22) for three years after finding him guilty of dangerous driving.

The bike was travelling at 113km per hour in a 50km per hour area when he struck Sarah Hanlon who was thrown 32.5 metres along the road.

Fowler, of The Crescent, Millbrook Lawns, then fled the scene on foot, prompting a three-hour long search involving Garda Síochána air support and dog units.

The 15-year-old victim had been walking home from Saint Joseph's School with two friends when they attempted to cross the road at a recommended crossing point

Sergeant Brian Sheridan told prosecuting counsel, Mr Sean Gillane BL, that Sarah suffered fatal head and neck injuries as a result of being thrown into the air at a speed of up to 78 km per hour before she landed on a grassy bank. She was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

Judge Delahunt described the evidence as "harrowing" and said any case that involves the death of such a young child is difficult for all concerned. She noted the evidence of the impact of Sarah's death on her family and offered the sympathies and condolences of the court to them.

Judge Delahunt told Fowler "that there was no doubt that your speeding caused the death of Sarah Hanlon" before she sentenced him to three years in prison and disqualified him from driving for five years.

Sgt Sheridan said that witness, Eamonn Harnett, who was in his jeep, saw Fowler driving the bike along the middle of the road at speed with his body crouched in a racing position. Another witness saw Fowler overtake a car as the girl made to cross the road and then heard a "loud impact".

Sgt Sheridan said Mr Harnett then saw Fowler sitting on a nearby wall with his helmet in his hands and followed him into a housing estate when he left the scene with the police soon to be in pursuit.

(BMcC)