Louise Cantwell, Gortlarry was involved in a three car collision which took place at Ballyargus, Recastle just after 3.30am on Saturday, March 19 2005. One of the girls who died had just texted her mother to say that she was on her way home.

In a particularly sad twist of fate, the friends had all started their evening out by attending a benefit at the Strand Hotel in Ballyliffen. The function was in memory of another friend, Shane Toye (19) from Glentogher, who died in a road accident almost exactly one year before.

At about 1am they left to go to the Bailey niteclub and were returning home from there when the accident took place.

Two of Cantwell's friends, Kelly Doherty (20), Glentogher and Alice Mullen (20) Mill Brae, Carndonagh were passengers in her white Vauxhall Corsa when it crossed the continuous white line and struck an oncoming Vauxhall Signam driven by Derry woman Rhona Moran, the jury heard.

Ms Moran gave evidence that she was approaching a bend on the road when she met two cars coming in the opposite direction around the corner.

"You could tell they were going at a great speed because they were lifting," she said. "I was waiting to see a Garda car coming behind them, like it was a chase."

As a result of the impact, the Corsa then spun out of control and, according to testimony given by engineer Francis Harvey, was broadsided by a blue Citroen Saxo driven by Cantwell's friend Patrica Logue.

The Corsa struck and mounted a red and white barrel filled with gravel which had been placed at the roadside as part of roadworks at the time.

Although the Saxo ended up under the rear end of the Corsa, neither the driver, nor any of the five passengers were seriously injured.

However, in statements read out to the court, witnesses who came on the scene shortly after the crash described how they found Alice Mullen and Kelly Doherty.

Christine McEleney of Gortin, Clonmany, was told that there was someone in the back of the car. "I went in and saw Alice Mullen. I looked for a pulse but there was none. It was clear from her position that she was deceased - her eyes were open."

Ciara Doherty, Drung, Quigley's Point said that after Kelly Doherty had been freed from the wreckage, "I put her in the recovery position. She coughed up blood and was moaning in pain."

Shortly before the accident, at 3.35am, Kelly had texted her mother to say that she was on her way home, the coroner testified. She died in Altnagelvin Hospital at 8.30am.

Moville based Garda PJ Costello said he arrived on the scene at 3.53am shortly after the accident and said it was like a bomb had gone off.

The jury took approximately an hour and a half to reach its verdict, which the judge had directed must be unanimous. They returned to the court room on three occasions, with questions and for clarification.

When their decision was read out, at 5.45pm, many of those in the courtroom wept and sobbed, although Cantwell remained outwardly composed.