A coroner in the midlands has accused the drivers of two cars, who were involved in a so-called boy racing accident when a 20-year-old was killed, of giving evidence that was 'nothing short of perjury on a grand scale'.
The Co Westmeath coroner made his comments tonight at an inquest into the death of a young motorist who was killed after overtaking a car at high speed near Mullingar two years ago.
20-year-old Richard Newman from Rochfordbridge was killed on 24 August 2004 after his car lost control and ran into a tree on the road near Belvedere House in Mullingar.
Newman was one of eight young people who had gathered in four cars in the car park at Loughellen on the evening of the crash.
An inquest in Mullingar tonight was told two of the motorists subsequently became involved in a car race along the main road from the car park to Mullingar town centre.
Evidence was given at the inquest by some of the people involved in the incident, who had changed their stories several times after they were interviewed by gardaí.
When one of the drivers told the inquest this evening that he knew nothing about a car race, the coroner said this evidence represented nothing short of perjury on a grand scale.
The inquest is continuing.
