Guilty plea to dangerous driving causing death of local man

A 23-year-old man has pleaded guilty in New Zealand to dangerous driving causing the death of a South Roscommon native

In Wellington District Court last week, Callum Alec Charles Wither, 23, of Wainuiomata, pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Declan Curley, from Clonark, Athlone, on February 12, 2022.

Declan was struck by a car while he was walking on Dixon Street in Wellington, early on the morning of February 12. Tragically, the 37-year-old died at the scene.

A very popular figure in Athlone and Roscommon, Declan worked in the civil service in Ireland for twelve years before moving to New Zealand where he was a credit control manager for Momentum, a recruitment company.

He was a past pupil of Cornafulla National School and St Aloysius College, and played gaelic football with Clann na nGael.

Wither also pleaded guilty last week to a charge of driving with excess breath alcohol that night.

The court was told that Wither held a restricted driving licence and should not have been driving between 10pm and 5am without having a supervisor in the car.

The court heard that on the night the defendant had been drinking and had three friends in the vehicle with him, one of whom had already told him to hand over the keys.

The defendant accelerated and two passengers told him to slow down.

Declan Curley was hit while he crossed the road. He was thrown against a parked car and died at the scene, the summary said.

Wither was doing 56kph at the time of the crash in an area with a 30kph speed limit, police said.

The court was also told that the defendant was caught drink driving weeks later in the same area.

On April 21, 2022, about 4am Wither had been drinking and was caught driving on Manners St, one street over from Dixon St. He told police he was driving to take friends home to Newtown.

Wither was remanded on bail with a date yet to be set for sentencing.

Over €50,000 was raised by friends of Declan Curley via the Givealittle fundraising platform for The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, a charity which provides financial help to bereaved families repatriating their loved ones back to Ireland