A south Armagh man allegedly involved in a collision in which a man died has been accused of leaving the scene and hiding the vehicle.
Ciaran Joseph Feeney, of Dundalk Road, Crossmaglen, appeared at Newry Magistrates’ Court today (Wednesday) charged with dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice.
Michael Kirk from Co Monaghan was found lying by the roadside in the Blaney Road area of Crossmaglen on August 23, 2020. He was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.
At the time, police said he had sustained head injuries and that they were treating it as a hit-and-run incident.
It is alleged that on August 23, 2020 Feeney drove dangerously on the Foxfield Road, Crossmaglen.
The 37-year-old is further charged that on the same date he did an act which had a tendency to pervert the course of public justice, ‘namely your vehicle having been involved in a collision in which death was caused to Michael Kirk subsequently left the scene and hid the said vehicle at Foxfield Road, Crossmaglen’.
He was also charged that on August 26, he also did an act which had a tendency to pervert the course of public justice, namely advising police that he had lost his phone when he had not.
The defendant was asked if he objected to the holding of a preliminary enquiry, to which he replied: ‘No’.
He confirmed he was aware of the charges against him and asked if he wished to say anything or give any evidence in relation to the charges, to which he replied: ‘No’.
District Judge Eamon King released the defendant on his own bail of £1,000 and ordered him to appear again on August 29 when his Crown Court trial will be arranged.
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