One dead and nun injured after crash

22 October 2014

A NUN was left seriously injured in a horrific road accident which claimed the life of a teenager in Carryduff last week.

The accident happened at the Saintfield Road near the Ivanhoe Hotel last Thursday evening when a Jaguar car being chased by police crashed into the vehicle being driven by the nun.

The teenager who died — Conal Daly (18) — was from west Belfast and one of three people in the silver Jaguar which collided with a Volkswagen Polo being driven by the nun.

The nun, who sustained leg injuries, is a member of the Sisters of Mercy Order. Last month, two nuns from the same Order were killed in a crash on the main Newry to Belfast road.

The Police Ombudsman’s Office is investigating the incident, while the PSNI is conducting its own investigation into last week’s crash.

The Ombudsman’s Office has appealed for witnesses to come forward and explained the organisation is keen to speak to anyone who saw the collision or the pursuit leading up to it.

“We understand the pursuit began close to the roundabout at the junction of the Ravenhill Road and Ormeau Road in Belfast,” added a spokesman.

Last week’s accident happened as widespread flooding sparked havoc on Northern Ireland’s roads, with torrential downpours causing excess surface water.

Castlereagh Council Mayor Jack Beattie said his heart goes out to those involved in the accident. He said the Saintfield Road carries a lot of traffic and that there are “too many accidents on it.”

Councillor Geraldine Rice also said there are a lot of accidents on the Saintfield Road and that when there is heavy rain, the road is prone to flooding.

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