ON the third day of the trial, the jury heard, for the first time, Daniel O'Riordan's denial that he had caused the accident which claimed two lives on the DundalkCarlingford Road.

O'Riordan had presented himself at Dundalk garda station on the morning after the accident, where he gave a brief statement denying that he had caused the collision.

At that stage he denied that he was driving the car, saying that a friend, Stephen Dollard, was behind the wheel.

As he (O'Riordan) had sustained injuries, he was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

Detective Inspector Tom Duffy gave evidence that he went to the Lourdes Hospital later that day to speak to the accused.

He had enquired from a nurse if O'Riordan was fit to be spoken to.

He said that as he was speaking to the nurse, O'Riordan dragged himself over and said that he wanted to talk about the accident, adding that it 'wasn't my fault.'

In a statement he told of having bought the Audi for 500 from a friend of his brother's in Jonesboro.

He said 'I knew by the price of it, it was a ringer (stolen), but I didn't care.'

He told of having gone for a spin on March 25th 2008 with a number of friends, including Dave Keenan.

They went to Newry to collect another man, Stephen Dollard.

They came back through Omeath, and O'Riordan wanted to stop off for something to eat.

They got back into the car, which he admitted he was driving, and some of his passengers were drinking white cider and smoking hash.

He said he was travelling at about 60kph.

He stated that he came across a car on the wrong side of the road with full head lights on.

'I dipped my headlights, and flashed him, but I just banged into him.'

He described the airbag coming out around him in the car, but he got out of the driver's seat.

He recalled asking some guys who were standing along the road if they had credit in their phone.

He said he started walking off, but collapsed in a nearby field.

He added 'I just panicked, the accident just happened. I didn't intend to hurt anyone.'

The court heard that O'Riordan had sustained fractures to his back in the accident, and was in a body cast for nearly a year.