Man Charged in Court Over Death of Jaidyn Rice – Granted Bail

Jamie McCartney, 30, appeared in court today charged with causing the death of 16-year-old Jaidyn Rice in a fatal Bangor crash. Despite police objections, he was granted bail under strict conditions.

Jaidyn Rice’s Grieving Family Face Accused Driver in Court

The grieving family of 16-year-old Jaidyn Rice sat in Newtownards Magistrates’ Court today as the man accused of causing her death by dangerous driving appeared in the dock.

Jamie McCartney, aged 30, appeared in handcuffs just feet away from Jaidyn’s mother, who held up a photo of her daughter in court.

McCartney is facing three charges in connection with the fatal collision on Tuesday 8 July on West Circular Road, Bangor:

• Causing death by dangerous driving
• Causing death while uninsured
• Causing death while unlicensed

Emotional Courtroom Scenes as Accused Faces Serious Charges

Jaidyn tragically died at the scene of the collision around 10:55pm, a loss that has devastated her family and shocked the local Bangor community.

McCartney, whose address cannot be published due to police concerns over reprisals, confirmed in court that he understood all charges against him.

Detective Constable McAnally told the court that he could connect McCartney to each charge, but raised serious concerns about public safety and potential further offending if bail was granted.

He cited a previous arson attack at the home of one of McCartney’s relatives, describing it as part of a possible vendetta against the accused.

Police Object to Bail, Citing Safety and Alleged Breaches

Police also claimed McCartney had previously breached bail conditions by:

• Allegedly driving while banned
• Entering Bangor city limits, which he had been prohibited from

They noted that the individual reporting these breaches had refused to give a formal statement “out of fear of reprisals.”

Despite this, defence barrister Stuart Magee argued there was no evidence of actual breaches and labelled the allegations as “complete nonsense.”

He also dismissed the arson incident as unrelated, as it occurred before Jaidyn’s death.

Magee told the court that McCartney denied the dangerous driving allegation during police interviews.

Judge Grants Bail Despite Grave Concerns

District Judge Mark Hamill questioned why police had initially granted McCartney bail after his interview if they now objected to it.

Finding it hard to justify a remand in custody based on inconsistent police handling, the judge granted bail under strict conditions:

• Bail set at £500
• McCartney is barred from entering Bangor
• He must not contact any witnesses or Jaidyn’s family
• He is prohibited from driving

Judge Hamill issued a stern warning:

“Any breach at all and bail will end… there won’t be any doubt, there won’t be any hesitation.”

As McCartney was taken to the cells, Jaidyn’s mother raised a picture of her daughter, declaring:

“My daughter doesn’t have justice.”

Judge Hamill responded:

“That’s what the Crown Court is for… we will get to that.”

Case Adjourned Until August

McCartney is due to return to court on 26 August 2025 as the case progresses to the Crown Court.