A Westmeath man says he struggles to put into words the 'hell he's lived through every day' since causing a high-speed crash that left his brother with life-changing injuries after a trip to Roscommon. 23-year-old Gerard Duffy McAndrew, of Ben View, Rathcorbally, Monilea, appeared before Mullingar Circuit Court after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, and driving without insurance. The court heard the brothers had travelled to Portrunny Harbour on the shores of Lough Ree in County Roscommon before the crash in Rathowen in March 2025. CCTV footage showed the Audi travelling at more than 150 kilometres an hour in a 50 zone before colliding with trees. His brother, Stephen Murphy, who had only recently reconnected with his biological family, suffered catastrophic injuries and had his left leg amputated above the knee.
Judge Keenan Johnson described it as one of the worst dangerous driving cases he has ever dealt with, saying it had 'every aggravating factor in the book' - drink, drugs, speed and catastrophic injuries. The case has been adjourned until next month for probation reports, with sentencing expected on May 20.
