Young motorist fled from gardai onfiveoccasions

Repeated episodes of dangerous driving as he sped uninsured away from gardaí on five different occasions were admitted by Patrick Kearney (21) of 18 An Ban, Courtown.

After hearing details, Judge Gerard Haughton warned the errant motorist that he was likely to serve a custodial sentence.

In May of 2015, the accused man was the driver of a Toyota Avensis driven dangerously in Riverchapel, seen by Garda Maurice McGrath on the wrong side of the road before it was found abandoned at Dunehaven.

In August of the same year, he took off at speed from a garda in Courtown, this time piloting a Toyota Yaris, breaking a stop sign before escaping into a housing estate.

In October of 2016, he took off along Fort Road in Gorey at the wheel of a Volvo and then crashed causing €1,000 damage to a wall before fleeing on foot.

The same month, gardaí attempted to speak to him at Branogue Park in Courtown but he sped off in a Volkswagen Golf, overtaking on a blind bend and again ignoring a stop sign.

He reached Ballyoughter, where his manner of driving caused distress to horses and jockeys who were on the road, prompting his pursuers to discontinue the chase for safety reasons.

On another occasion, he attempted to ram a patrol car when the officers following him tried to keep him and his vehicle in O’Loughlin’s caravan park.

However, he managed to make his escape and drove at speed through the Riverchapel area, not slowing down for speed bumps and failing to yield right of way at a roundabout.

The District Court sitting in Gorey also noted pleas of guilty to two charges of cannabis pos- session.

Judge Gerard Haughton was advised that Kearney had previous convictions, for possession of knives or other articles and for robbery.

Defending solicitor David Tarrant agreed that the motoring described was horrific and his client was facing up to the fact that he might never drive again.

It was fortunate that there had been no injuries as a result of the defendant’s behaviour, observed Mr Tarrant.

The court was given an assurance that Kearney was now free of drugs.

Judge Haughton observed that the offences detailed to the court cried out for a custodial sentence but felt he needed time to think about this, adjourning to April 6.

He warned the defendant that any further offending in the meantime would put him behind bars for 18 months.