Published Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Daniel Mooney was a pillion passenger on the scrambler motorbike. (© Pacemaker)
Dean McComb, aged 20, was due to go on trial on Wednesday at Belfast Crown Court accused of causing the death of Daniel Mooney by dangerous driving.
Standing in the dock beside his solicitor McComb, from North Queen Street, pleaded guilty "to dangerous driving only" and two other charges of driving without a licence and without insurance on 15 May last year.
The charges that he killed 12-year-old Daniel were "left on the books" and prosecuting QC John Orr told Deputy Recorder of Belfast, Judge Corinne Philpott QC that "having consulted at some length," the guilty pleas to lesser offences were acceptable.
Only child and talented dog shower, Daniel was riding as an pillion passenger on a scrambler motorbike on Mountcoole Park when he fell off and tragically died from the head injuries he sustained.
He was not wearing a helmet.
The driver of that bike, 33-year-old Andrew Paul Morrow, a window cleaner from Vara Drive in Belfast, is in custody awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to causing Daniel's death by dangerous driving as well as other offences of causing the schoolboy's death by driving while disqualified and without insurance.
On Wednesday Judge Philpott ordered pre-sentence probation reports to be compiled on McComb will sentence both defendants next month when reports are ready.