By 
A CORONER is to write to the Director of Public Prosecutions over the death of young Beragh man, Darryl Thompson, on the M1 motorway more than seven years ago.
Mr Thompson was just 22 years old when he was killed after being struck by a vehicle on November 10, 2018.
The inquest findings into his death were delivered by a Coroner at the Laganside Courts in Belfast today.
The Coroner, Louisa Fee, said a report would now be sent to the DPP and that it would include a copy of her findings.
Ms Fee described the actions of the people who had been travelling with Mr Thompson from an event in Co Armagh that night as ‘extraordinarily bizarre and shocking,’ especially as they had just witnessed the death of their friend.
The Coroner said she was satisfied that Mr Thompson had not staggered out onto the slow lane of the motorway and that the prevailing weather and road condition had no impact.
Instead, she was satisfied it was more likely than not that the deceased’s presence on the road was as a result of a physical altercation.
Late last year, on the final day of evidence at the inquest, witness Kellie Keenan clarified her early evidence by saying that Mr Thompson was punched and then pushed onto the road.
In her findings, the Coroner said that the death was due to head and neck injuries sustained as a result of the car colliding with Mr Thompson shortly after 10pm on the date in question.
She described herself as ‘satisfied’ there was no evasive action that could have been taken by the driver of the vehicle, Catherine Lagan, and accepted her explanation that he was ‘just standing there’ when he was struck.
The Coroner added it was ‘particularly striking’ that in the immediate aftermath of the deceased being struck, neither Tiernan Sutton, Kellie Keenan or Dominic Daly, who were all travelling with Mr Thompson, had not attempted to contacted the emergency services.
“It is clear that Mr Sutton had left the deceased aid in the short time that it had taken Catherine Lagan to reach him,” she added.
“It is clear to me that Mr Daly was keen not to attract attention to what had taken place and to avoid anyone contacting the emergency services.”
She also accepted evidence from witnesses who arrived at the scene over a conversation between Tiernan Sutton and Dominic Daly, during which Mr Sutton said to Mr Daly ‘look what you have done’ and Mr Daly replied ‘I do not care’.
The Coroner also accepted they were also overheard saying that they needed to get away from the scene to avoid going back to jail.
She commended the actions of Catherine Lagan, Barry McKenna and Sean Lagan for their attempts to assist Mr Thompson.
