Irish national pleads guilty to culpable driving after fatal Cobden crash

Mark Doughty, 25, appeared in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Tuesday, August 1, where he pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death, negligently causing serious injury, reckless conduct endangering serious injury and drink driving.

The man did not apply for bail and surrendered himself into custody.

Doughty was expected to contest the charges in a committal hearing on Tuesday after previously denying being the driver of the vehicle that failed to stop at a stop sign, colliding with another vehicle, in the early hours of June 5, 2022.

A passenger, 18-year-old Irish national Max Boggs, was ejected from the car and died.

A lawyer for Doughty told the same court in March that "the central issue in this case is the identity of the driver".

The committal hearing was expected to hear from four witnesses.

Doughty was taken into custody on Tuesday and will face a directions hearing at a later date.

Magistrate Ann McGarvie listed a number of custody management issues, including the man's ill mental health and it being his first time in custody.

In June last year, the court heard a black Holden Astra driven by Doughty was heading along Hallyburtons Road when it came to the intersection with Cross Forest Road.

A 25-year-old bartender was driving a 2017 grey Holden Colorado along Cross Forest Road.

The prosecution alleged the Colorado made impact with the passenger side of the Astra when it failed to stop.

A 21-year-old man also suffered injuries and was later flown to a Melbourne hospital for further treatment.

Blood samples were taken at hospital from the 21-year-old man, the bartender and Doughty.

Police alleged the bartender had served the men about 10 drinks at the hotel and the trio finished up drinking spirits later in the night.

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