A 20-year-old man accused of causing a four-vehicle car crash which claimed the lives of three people, and seriously injured four more, pleaded “not guilty” at Newry Crown Court on Friday.
Josh McGleenan, from Ashveagh in Benburb – standing in the dock for an arraignment hearing as members of the deceased’s families watched on from the public gallery – denied eight charges arising from a road traffic collision on the Gosford Road in Markethill on November 4, 2023.
The defendant is accused of causing the deaths of Ciara McElvanna, as well as husband and wife Patrick and Ciera Grimley by driving dangerously on the Gosford Road in Markethill.
He is also accused of four counts of causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving and a final charge of dangerous driving between Ashveagh, Benburb and the Gosford Road.
Defence barrister Michael Chambers KC said his instructing solicitor has directed a defence expert for the case he described the circumstances as “a little unusual” and something “I’ve never come across before”.
However, he accepted that the arraignment hearing go ahead as scheduled, before McGlennan entered his “not guilty” responses to the eight charges.
His Honour Judge Paul Ramsey agreed to fix a trial date for March 16, next year.
When quizzed by the judge on the expected length of the trial, Mr Chamber’s replied: “It doesn’t seem to me like the sort of case where there will be a great number of contentious witnesses, if any contentious witnesses.”
Judge Ramsey contended that, given the St Patrick’s Day public holiday, the trial would run to the beginning of the following week.
McGlennan was released on continuing bail where he will be returned for trial on March 16. A review date is expected to be set in the New Year.
