Car thief is sent back to prison

Mr Quigley was struck by a stolen car on the Cliftonville Road

A car thief who knocked down and killed a man four years ago has been sent back to prison for two years just weeks after he had been released from jail.

Malachy Delaney, 25, of Westrock Drive in north Belfast, admitted a series of charges including theft, dangerous driving and driving while drunk.

When police gave chase to him in the New Lodge area, he mounted a pavement and pedestrians had to dive for cover.

He then drove onto the Antrim Road where cars had to swerve to avoid him.

Shortly afterwards he crashed into two police cars and was arrested.

In August 2004, Delaney, who has more than 65 previous driving convictions, was jailed for six years after he knocked down and killed 25-year-old Rossa Quigley.

Sentencing him, the judge at Belfast Crown Court told him it had been an "appalling piece of driving which could have resulted in multiple deaths".