Republican News · Thursday 27 March 2002

Death drivers claim another victim

Just over 24 hours after a rally protesting against the scourge of car crime in West Belfast was held on the Monagh Bypass, a 43-year-old father of two was run over by death drivers and fatally injured.

Jim McLaughlin lost his fight for life on Saturday 22 March, 36 hours after being struck by a hit and run driver on West Belfast's Glen Road at around midnight on Thursday 20 March.

McLaughlin had been out with his brothers watching the Celtic v Liverpool UEFA cup match in a local club and was returning home when he was struck. The incident happened at the junction of Arizona Street, where Jim lived, and the Glen Road, as Jim spoke to a friend who had given him a lift.

Death drivers buy cheap cars at auctions and drive them illegally. The cars, termed 'run arounds', can't be traced so if the death drivers are involved in an incident they simply abandon the car or burn it to get rid of forensic evidence linking them to the car.

The car that struck Jim McLaughlin failed to stop and drove on past Andersonstown PSNI barracks. Geordie Murtagh of the pressure group Families Bereaved Through Car Crime (FBTCC) called on the PSNI to disclose what their surveillance cameras caught of the incident. A huge surveillance array, sited on the barracks less than 150 yards away, observes the scene of the incident.

A car later found burnt out on the Monagh Bypass is now being examined by the PSNI for evidence that might link it to Jim McLaughlin's killing.

On Wednesday 19 March, up to 200 people attended a rally organised by the newly formed Safer Streets initiative on the Monagh Bypass, one of West Belfast's most notorious roads for death driving.

Speakers at the rally, including Sinn Féin councillor Michael Ferguson and Geordie Murtagh, vowed that both Sinn Féin and FBTCC would work with the new Safer Streets for All group to make the streets of West Belfast safe for the citizens of the area.

Ironically, just before the rally, the family of Maureen Brammeld had attended a commemoration at the spot where the 23-year-old mother of one was killed by a death driver 12 years ago.

Jenny Lee Brammeld, now 14, was just two when her six-month pregnant mother was killed. She placed flowers at the spot where her mother died at the main road into Twinbrook on the Stewartstown Road.

FBTCC are to hold a rally in the County Derry town of Draperstown at the weekend in support of the family of Gareth Farrelly, who was killed during the County Derry Fleadh last July. An 18-year-old man was later charged with causing Gareth's death through dangerous driving.

The rally will be held in Draperstown on Saturday 29 March at 3pm.