The owners of a refuse collection company whose truck killed a toddler have appeared in court charged with having no insurance on the day.
Ferry’s Refuse
Directors of Ferry’s Refuse Collection, Jimmy and Mary Ferry, are charged with having no insurance on February 16th, 2010.
On the day one of the company’s trucks was involved in an incident in Letetrkenny which resulted in a three year old boy being knocked down and killed.
The driver of the truck, Alex McDaid, has since been cleared by Letterkenny Circuit Court of dangerous driving causing the death of little Patrick McDonagh at The Green, Ballymacool.
The tot was killed after being struck by the truck as he chased a ball onto a roadway outside his house as Mr McDaid reversed the bin lorry up the street.
The charges of no insurance against the Ferrys arise out of claims that Mr McDaid did not hold a valid driving license while working for Ferrys Refuse Collection.
According to defense solicitor Ciaran McLaughlin, the Ferrys of Rossbracken, Manorcunningham, say they were shown an English driving license by Mr McDaid.
He said that if the license is valid then his clients are insured.
However solicitor for Mr McDaid (60), Patsy Gallagher, revealed in court that Mr McDaid admitted during the previous circuit court case that he did not have a driving license.
The court heard that there is now some concern over the authenticity of the license.
The matter is being investigated by Zurich Insurance, the Gardai and the licensing authority in Britain.
Garda Superintendent David Murphy said Gardai had made enquiries through Interpol about the license and were still awaiting verification.
Judge Paul Kelly adjourned the case until November to allow more information to be gathered.
He also asked Gardai to seek to obtain the original license belonging to Mr McDaid.