A bride-to-be was killed by a disqualified driver who ran over her after she lay down on the road while out socialising with friends.

Letterkenny Circuit Court heard Laura Connolly (34) died after she was struck by a van that failed to stop on the outskirts of Lifford, Co Donegal, in the early hours of July 11th, 2021.

Connolly had been out socialising with friends and was lying on the road after laughing and joking with friends. Just hours earlier she had been out shopping for her wedding dress.

The driver of the van, Sean Connaughton (55), failed to stop at the scene on the N15 road at Townspark, Lifford.

The former firefighter, who was leasing a pub at the time, was already disqualified from driving for four years from April 10th, 2020, for not having insurance on a previous occasion. He went to his partner’s home but presented himself at Letterkenny Garda station the following day after hearing a woman had been killed.

Connolly, a mother of one from Croaghan Heights in Lifford, had been due to marry her childhood sweetheart.

Connaughton, with an address at Doolargy Avenue, Dundalk, Co Louth, pleaded to one charge of dangerous driving causing death. He had been arraigned on three further charges of failing to keep a vehicle at the scene of an accident, driving without insurance and driving without a valid driving licence.

The court was told Connolly was with four friends walking along a footpath when the incident occurred about 200 metres from a roundabout.

Demi Carlin, a friend of Connolly’s, said she had been dancing and singing before she lay in the middle of the road with her head resting on the centre white line. Carlin said the other women did not realise Connolly was on the road. The friend said she heard a vehicle coming and was shouting at Connolly to get up.

Carlin said the van was travelling very fast and she thought the driver tried to swerve to avoid Connolly but drove over her without stopping.

A couple driving near the scene told the court they saw a person on the road tried to flash the approaching van. Emmet McGavigan said the vehicle was coming “right and fast” and did not appear to brake.

The court heard during interview, Connaughton, after presenting at Letterkenny Garda station the following day, denied being involved in an accident and said he was a trained paramedic who would have stopped if he hit something. A forensic examination of the van found DNA matching Connolly’s.

Connolly’s mother, Rosemary, said she lost her only daughter and best friend. Connolly lived just six doors from her and they had spent so much time planning what would have been her perfect wedding, she said. Victim impact statements were read out on behalf of Connolly’s father Jimmy, brother James, son Jamie and fiancé Joseph.

The court was told the accused man has 16 previous convictions including five under the Road Traffic Act, two under the Larceny Act and others connected to Covid regulations while operating a licensed premises.

Barrister Colm Smyth, instructed by solicitor Frank Dorrian, for the accused, said Connaughton and his family moved from Donegal due to a verified threat. Since the threat, Connaughton no longer has contact with his two adult children. The accused took to the witness stand, saying he could never imagine their suffering but he was sorry from the bottom of his heart. He said he accepts he has to live with his actions and if he had obeyed his driving ban “Laura would have been alive”.

Smyth said his client was experiencing symptoms of prolonged psychological reaction and is receiving medication for anxiety and high blood pressure. Smyth asked Judge John Aylmer to consider various factors affecting his client.

The judge said he would take time to consider the matter and adjourned final sentencing until next week. Connaughton was released on bail.