Man admits causing death of Belfast hit and run victim

Richard Boyle, who was 42, was walking his dog when he was killed

A 27-year-old man has admitted causing the death of a Belfast man by careless driving.

Richard Boyle, who was 42, was walking his dog on the Stewartstown Road in the west of the city in February 2021 when he was hit by a car.

Both Mr Boyle and his pet died from the injuries after the hit and run incident.

Five men and a woman appeared together in the dock of Belfast Crown Court in March of this year when they denied a range of charges over the incident.

All six were back in court on Monday as a trial was due to begin - but before a jury was sworn, five of the six defendants were re-arraigned.

One of them, Martin Sean O'Lali, 27, of Breton Court in Lisburn, was charged with causing the death of Mr Boyle by driving dangerously.

When asked how he pleaded to the charge, O'Lali replied: "Not guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, guilty to death by careless driving."

A Crown barrister said the plea was "acceptable to the prosecution".

O'Lali pleaded guilty to four other charges including driving without insurance, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident, while two other charges were left on the books.

His father, Martin Paul O'Lali, 49, from Greenvale in Belfast, admitted a charge of withholding information, as did 28-year old Emma McCune, from Breton Park in Lisburn.

Hugh O'Neill, 27, of Fallswater Street in Belfast, admitted a charge of assisting offenders by providing a false alibi.

Co-accused Tieran Jack Holden , 25, from Oranmore Street in Belfast pleaded guilty to two counts - assisting offenders by providing transport and withholding information.

A sixth defendant, Conor Francis Lewsley, 42, from Glenalina Park in Belfast, faced a single charge of withholding information on 5 February 2021.

The Crown barrister told the court the charge was being "left on the books".

After being told that all the pleas were accepted by the Crown, Judge Smyth ordered pre-sentence reports for the five defendants and then set the date for the plea hearing as 14 November.

The judge disqualified Martin Sean O'Lali from driving "forthwith".

All the defendants were released on bail.