Man involved in ‘Starsky and Hutch’ chase avoids jail

CONVICTIONS for motoring and public order offences were handed down to Wayne O’Brien (25) with an address at 15 St Aidan’s Green in Clongeen.

The father of a 14-week-old baby, he was told to pay €250 to a neighbour who was on the receiving end of his threatening behaviour.

Judge John Brennan described the difficult and dangerous chase which prompted one set of prosecutions against O’Brien as being like something out of ‘Starsky and Hutch’.

However, Wexford District Court accepted that the defendant should not be sent to jail as he appeared to have turned a corner in his life.

The judge commented that the arrival of a child can have the effect of making young men mature very quickly.

The court learned that the accused had found work, which was due to last until some time in 2020, on the construction of the New Ross by-pass.

The offences being considered dated back to 2015 and 2016.

For the dangerous driving which occurred at Crossabeg where he was uninsured, he was put on probation for 12 months.

For his threatening behaviour towards Rose Breen, who feared that her car would be damaged, he was ordered to pay the injured party a sum of €250. A further sum of €250 was to go to the garda benevolent fund.

Judge Brennan learned that he was extremely aggressive in his attitude to a member of the force at Pearse Court in December of 2016.

His threatening and abusive behaviour also merited a fine of €100.