Northern Ireland driver who caused the death of a woman while using his mobile phone behind the wheel jailed

A Co Antrim man who caused the death of a woman while using his mobile phone behind the wheel of his car has been handed a five-year prison sentence.

Judge Patrick Lynch KC told Jonathan McNeill he will spend half the sentence in custody with the remainder on supervised licence on his release from custody.

McNeill (40), of Hollowburn Road, Ballycraigy, had previously pleaded guilty to a single charge of causing the death of Jenny Dunlop by dangerous driving.

The high-speed collision involving a four-vehicle pile-up happened on Sunday, March 5, 2023, at around 9.20pm on the M2 Southbound carriageway near the Sandyknowes road junction in Newtownabbey.

Ms Dunlop (59) was driving her VW Polo car when McNeill ploughed into the rear of her car at around 70 mph.

It resulted in the mother-of-four's car being shunted into the rear of a Red Honda Civic which in turn struck an articulated lorry.

Ms Dunlop died in hospital from her injuries two days later.

At the time of the collision, traffic was at a standstill due to roadworks between Junction Four at Sandyknowes and Junction 2 at Greencastle.

Belfast Crown Court heard that prior to the crash, McNeill had been using his mobile phone for around 15 minutes to contact people by message through Snapchat and Facebook messenger.

A subsequent examination of his phone revealed that he had deleted two apps from his phone before the NI Fire and Rescue Service arrived on the scene.

Later that night, while being treated in hospital, the defendant also deleted dating apps Tinder and Badoo from his device.

Defence counsel Ian Turkington KC said that following the collision, McNeill had to be cut out of his Audi S3 vehicle and sustained a fractured clavicle and injuries to his hand and neck.

"It is right to say he was a vulnerable individual in the build up to the accident.

He had a number of mental health issues prior to the accident and there has been a deterioration in his mental health after the incident for which he has received counselling,'' said Mr Turkington.

"He presents himself as some who is desperate and anxious to change and was prepared to take steps on his own to do so.''

Mr Turkington said McNeill had told the author of a pre-sentence report that he had "no appetite to drive or get behind the wheel of a car ever again''.

He added: "I acknowledge the fact that there is nothing that I can say to Your Honour on behalf of the accused that will be as important as recognising the fairly immense pain and anguish that has been suffered by the family and friends of the deceased.

"Jonathan McNeill, for what it is worth, is completely sorry for his role in relation to the collision."

Imposing a five year determinate custodial sentence, Judge Lynch also disqualified McNeill from driving for a period of four years.