A 20-year-old man has appeared before Dundalk District Court charged with dangerous driving causing the deaths of three people.

The accused, Keith Lennon, with an address in Forest Park, Dromintee, Co Armagh, was refused bail and remanded in custody. He is accused of dangerous driving causing the deaths of Mary and Kevin Faxton and Bryan Magill on the N1 at Carrickarnon, Ravensdale, Dundalk, on Saturday.

He is also accused of failing to report the incident to gardaí contrary to section 106 of the Road Traffic Act. Evidence was given by Garda Ronan Costello, Dundalk, of arresting and charging the accused.

He told the court he arrested Mr Lennon at 28 minutes past midnight on Monday and he charged him at 1am. Mr Lennon made no reply, after caution, to either charge, the court heard.

Defence solicitor Aimée McCumiskey applied for bail to which Garda Costello objected.

He handed in a copy of his objections to Judge Deirdre Gearty and said there were a number of grounds including the seriousness of the charges and the fear Mr Lennon was a flight risk as he did not live in the jurisdiction. Ms McCumiskey made a number of points to the judge including that all four grandparents of her client live in the jurisdiction and were present in court. He had no previous convictions and enjoyed the presumption of innocence, she said.

The judge remanded the accused in custody to Cloverhill District Court next Thursday. She recommended that Mr Lennon receive whatever medical attention he may require while in custody.