YOUNG MAN IS JAILED FOR LEADING GARDAI ON HIGH-SPEED CHASE

THE dangerous driving of a Mitsubishi Colt around the outskirts of Gorey at speeds at times in excess of 140 km/h merited six months in prison, Judge John Cheatle ruled.

Wayne Byrne (24) from Springfield House, Inch, Gorey denied being at the wheel of the Colt in the early hours of October 24 in 2016.

He told the District Court that he was drinking with a friend in Tinahely on the night in question.

But his alibi did not stand up as the judge accepted evidence identifying him as the culprit from Gardaí Maurice McGrath and Paul Kelly.

The Mitsubishi first came to the attention of a third garda, Mick Dee, at around 12.25 that night.

He gave evidence of spotting a small dark car being driven at excessive speed on Arklow Road.

He set off after it with blue light flashing but it failed to stop.

Instead it pulled away at a speed of more than 140 km/h, overtaking the patrol car driven by Garda McGrath on the way towards Gorey town.

It turned right at the railway bridge and later crashed at Barnlands.

Garda McGrath’s evidence was that he drove the patrol car in pursuit, noting that the driver made a handbrake turn at the railway bridge junction.

This manoeuvre brought his quarry briefly to a halt and al- lowed the witness a view of the man behind the wheel, whom he identified as Wayne Byrne when the patrol car stopped two feet away from the Dublin registered Colt.

The defendant then headed for Ballytegan, exceeding 130 km/h, sometimes on the wrong side of the road as he negotiated bends.

The high speed chase came to an end when the Colt turned into an entrance to private property and crashed.

The sole occupant made good his escape.

This version of events was endorsed by Garda Paul Kelly who was on duty as observer throughout the chase.

Solicitor David Tarrant felt there was no evidence linking his client with the Mitsubishi Colt and Byrne insisted he was in Tinahely on the night in question.

However, Judge Cheatle accepted that Byrne was the culprit and ruled that a six month jail term for dangerous driving should be imposed.

‘ This is at the high end of the scale,’ he observed.

The court learned that the defendant had a suspended three year sentence for drug dealing hanging over him.

Mr Tarrant indicated that Byrne intended to appeal the dangerous driving conviction and a €150 cash recognisance was produced before the end of the court sitting, allowing the accused to walk free from the courthouse on bail.

THE DEFENDANT THEN HEADED FOR BALLYTEGAN, EXCEEDING 130 KM/H, SOMETIMES ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD AS HE NEGOTIATED BENDS