Kilkenny man caught on CCTV stealing car with autistic teen inside before fatal crash

Fogarty spent 30 seconds inside the vehicle before speeding off with the teen inside the car.

Minutes later Fogarty would cause a head-on crash, in which he was killed and the girl seriously injured.+

Footage obtained by the Sunday World, shows how at 3.33 pm on Friday – moments after the 16-year-old’s father popped into an office in Kilkenny – car thief Fogarty approached the family’s Kia Sportage.

The teenager was in the vehicle’s backseat and is understood to be autistic and was recovering from recent surgery.

Gardaí believe these factors may explain why Fogarty did not force – or was unable to force – the girl from the car before he stole it.

Fogarty is known to gardaí for a string of petty offences as well as drug and alcohol issues. In 2012, he was stabbed by a property owner who wasn’t prosecuted after he claimed he was defending his home under the Defence and the Dwelling Act 2011.

Another man Kieran Monahan died after he was stabbed in the same incident.

In total, our video shows how Fogarty spent 30 seconds inside the car, including time spent manoeuvring the vehicle out of its spot, prior to pulling away with the teenager inside.

The teen had been left in the back seat of the car by her dad as he intended on only popping into the office for a minute and coming straight back out.

Sources indicated the distraught man, who was yesterday at his daughter’s bedside at Waterford University Hospital, may have left the keys in the ignition so the heat could stay on in the car and his daughter could listen to the radio.

The footage shows how moments after her dad entered the office, Fogarty, who had his hood up but his jacket open, approached the Kia Sportage from behind.

He passed the girl in the back seat and appears to check to see if the keys are in the ignition. He then opened the driver’s door and sat in behind the wheel.

Several seconds later, the car is moving and, as Fogarty initially moves forward, the shape of the innocent teenager can be seen in the rear window of the car.

Fogarty is then forced to briefly reverse as two cars pass by on his right.

He then allows another car to pass before pulling out and driving away.

When the teen’s father emerges from the office a short time later, he realises the car has been taken and seeks help from a man, who was previously inside the office with him, and is now sitting outside in a jeep.

Unknown to both men, who immediately raised the alarm and alerted gardaí, Fogarty was driving the vehicle with the teenager still inside at speed along the N77 to Ballyragget.

Horrifically, having travelled a distance of less than 7km, Fogarty crossed a continuous white line, onto the wrong side of the road on a bad bend between Hennebry’s Cross and Dinan Bridge.

It’s understood it was during this illegal manoeuvre that he crashed head-on into a vehicle in which a man was driving a couple to a wedding celebration in Kilkenny.

Paramedics and gardaí are understood to have arrived at the scene within minutes. The girl sustained serious injuries in the crash and was treated at the scene before being moved to a nearby GAA ground from where she was airlifted to Waterford University Hospital.

Fogarty was also treated at the scene before being transferred to St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny. It’s understood he died several hours after the collision.

The vehicle Fogarty crashed into was carrying three adults – a couple in their 40s and one of their fathers, a man in his 60s.

All three were seriously injured but their injuries are not life-threatening and they are also being cared for at St Luke’s.

It’s understood the teenager, abducted by Fogarty in the stolen car, underwent two rounds of surgery on Friday evening.

Sources have described her injuries as serious but indicated also, while there had been serious fears for her life initially, it was believed yesterday she is no longer in mortal danger.

A source said: “Unfortunately, it is the case that this young girl had recently underwent hip surgery and the injuries she sustained in the crash have caused serious concerns for her ongoing recovery from the previous surgery.”

The Sunday World understands there are concerns for the child’s ability to walk in the future as well as for the long-term psychological effects the terrifying incident may have on her.

“This was an extremely distressing incident in which this young girl suffered serious physical injuries,” a source said.

“The man who stole the car has died so the investigation, while criminal in nature, is no longer for the purposes of carrying out a prosecution.

“But this girl and her family will need answers and, of course, a detailed account of the perpetrator’s last movements, will be needed for the coroner’s court.”

Gardaí suspect Fogarty may have been under the influence of either drugs or alcohol and will now await the results of toxicology tests carried out during a post-mortem examination of his remains.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee, speaking at the Fine Gael Árd Fheis in Athlone, said yesterday: “We need to get to the bottom and understand exactly what has happened but (it’s a) really very devastating incident to happen.”

Gardaí are appealing for anyone with information about the incident to contact Kilkenny Garda Station on 056 7775000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.