THE MOTHER OF one of the teenagers killed in a collision on their way to a debs in 2023 has said “there is no justice” after a seven-year prison sentence was handed to the driver.

Sixty-one-year old Anthony McGinn of Drumloo, Newbliss had last week pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of 17-year-old Kiea McCann and 16-year-old Dlava Mohammed.

Speaking outside Monaghan Court following the sentencing, Kiea’s mother Teresa told reporters “there is no justice”.

“This is what we got, seven years today. There is no justice for this, my child’s life is gone and never coming back.”

Anthony McGinn arrives at Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing. PA Images PA Images

On 31 July 2023, best friends Kiea and Dlava were making their way to the debs ball in the Western Arms Hotel, along with Dlava’s sister Avin and another passenger, Oisin Clerkin.

The car they were travelling in, driven by McGinn, struck a tree at Legnakelly, Clones, killing Kiea, Dlava, and seriously injuring Avin.

Oisin sustained less serious injuries in the collision.

This morning, McGinn was handed a seven-year prison sentence, reduced from a headline figure of nine years, and disqualified from driving for 15 years.

According to an extensive forensic report, McGinn’s average speed between Clones and the scene of the collision near the New Line junction was calculated to 138.85 km/h.

The speed limit on that road is 80 km/h.

“The intention was a very determined one to drive at a grossly excessive speed and thereby having a reckless disregard for the obvious potential for death and serious injury to result,” said Judge John Aylmer this morning.

The Judge said this, as well as McGinn’s decision to “ignored the somewhat angry pleas from two of the frightened young passengers,” placed the offending at the “upper scale”.

However, he remarked that he had been asked to consider in mitigation the fact that McGinn also suffered very serious injuries in mitigation.

“But that provides little mitigation for you insofar as they were self-imposed,” said the judge.

The judge also noted in mitigation the “deep sense of remorse” from McGinn and the breakdown of his marriage since the crash. 

‘They had bright futures ahead’

Garda Inspector Ann-Marie Lardner is the divisional roads policing inspector for Louth, Cavan and Monaghan and was the senior investigating officer into the crash that killed Kiea and Dlava.

“Gardaí support Kiea and Dlava’s families in their suffering, but also stand united in grief with them following the loss of our colleague, garda Kevin Flatley,” said Lardner.

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Driver jailed for seven years over Monaghan debs crash that killed two teenagers

Ann-Marie Lardner of the Cavan-Monaghan Roads policing unit reacting to the seven-year sentence imposed on 61-year-old Anthony McGinn, who last week pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of 17-year-old Kiea McCann and 16-year-old Dlava Mohammed. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/aoMJe93UXt

— Diarmuid Pepper (@Diarmuid_9) May 14, 2025

“Kiea and Dlava were looking forward to celebrating their debs” said Lardner, “they had their entire lives and bright futures in front of them.

“They were killed in a devastating road traffic collision and never came home.

“Garda Kevin Flatley went to work last Sunday, an ordinary day –  he never came home.”

Lardner remarked that these are “just three of the 418 people killed on our roads since the start of 2023”.

Gardaí and all our road safety partners continuously repeat, repeat and repeat –  speeding kills.

“Kiea and Dlava were killed because of excessive speed. Kevin was on duty detecting and preventing speeding on our roads when he was killed.”

She called for Ireland “as a society” to “reset our collective attitude towards road safety”.

“We need to slow down and as a society, we need to have a conversation with those who we know drive too fast, either in excess of the speed limit, or too fast for the road conditions,” said Lardner.

The only people who can drive slower are drivers, but everybody can influence a driver.

“Slow down, make our roads safer, get home safe to your families every day.”