The jury at the inquest into the death of Kathleen Barrett, returned a verdict of misadventure at Mallow Coroner's Court yesterday (Wednesday, April 30).

Rose Barrett, pictured outside Mallow District Court yesterday after the inquest regarding the death of her daughter Kathleen. Picture: Provision.

Kathleen Barrett died when the car she was a passenger in went out of control on a stretch of road between Cork and Mallow in the early hours of February 18, 2007.

The 25-year-old was thrown from her car and died instantly. Her boyfriend Jeffrey McGuane, who was driving the car, sustained a number a injuries but, survived the crash.

The court heard that the couple, who are both from Limerick, had travelled to Cork from Limerick the night before and had consumed more than eight alcoholic drinks each in a nightclub before deciding to return home. Neither Ms Barrett nor McGuane was wearing safety belts.

Initially Jeffrey McGuane denied driving the car and when gardaí went to take a blood or urine sample from him in hospital, they were not able to get it within the prescribed three hours of the accident.

Five months after the crash Jeffrey McGuane admitted to gardaí that he had been driving, but he was never prosecuted for drink-driving. However, he was found guilty of driving without a licence and without insurance, receiving a €1,250 and a 12-month ban from driving.

Yesterday, Kathleen's mother Rose Barrett called for a change in laws to allow staff in emergency rooms to be able to take blood samples saying that if staff had these powers McGuane could have faced drink-driving charges.

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