‘Follyuponfolly’ incarchase

A teenage driver committed ‘folly upon folly’ when he sped away from Gardai in North Louth, Judge Hamill was told last week.

Ryan McDonnell, (18), 10 Gort Nua, Station Road, Castlebellingham, admitted a number of offences arising out of the incident at Ravensdale Park and Carrickarnon on November 15 including three counts of dangerous driving and having no insurance.

Gardai approached McDonnell in his car and he took off at speed. He drove the wrong way around a roundabout and also at speed. He got away but officers saw the car the following day and McDonnell ‘ made no bones’ about what had happened and admitted what he had done.

Solicitor Frank McDonnell said the incident was ‘folly upon folly’ and explained that McDonnell, who has no previous convictions, had bought the car for €300 and the ‘quote for insurance ran into the thousands of euro’. The solicitor said the purchase ‘didn’t go down well with the folks when he had spent the money and couldn’t afford to insure it’.

In addition, Mr McDonnell said, his client had ‘compounded everything when he panicked and took off’ when he was approached by Gardai. The solicitor added McDonnell works in a hardware store in Ardee and a licence would be useful for his work.

Mr McDonnell said: ‘I’m asking the court to take into account his youth. Had he stayed still, things might have been better for him. His family take a responsibility for him and have not abandoned him’.

Judge Hamill imposed a €400 fine and disqualified the teenager from driving for two years. He allowed McDOnnell to appeal in his own bond of €750.