Woman flees garda car she misidentified

DEFENDANT DID NOT REALISE CAR FOLLOWING HER WAS GARDA VEHICLE THINKING IT A GROUP OF ASSAILANTS

AN Askeaton native whose family was involved in a vicious feud – during which her sister was attacked by a person wielding a knife – fled in terror from a garda car, thinking it contained a gang who were out to get her.

Bernadette Harty, 76 Charles St, Listowel, appeared before Judge James O’Connor at Listowel District Court on Thursday where she pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving .

The charge was reduced to careless driving on the request of her solicitor Ann Keane, after Judge James O’Connor heard the evidence of the defence.

Garda Inspector Liam Williams told the court that gardaí ‘encountered’ Ms Harty’s vehicle on January 5 of last year and followed with blue lights flashing as Ms Harty hit ‘excessive speeds’.

She came to a stop after appearing to lose control of her car. ‘She said she was being followed by persons involved in a family feud,” Inspector Williams said, explaining the chase was a brief one, beginning at the Moyvane turnoff at Tarmon’s West on the Listowel/Tarbert Road and ending in the village of Moyvane.

Judge O’Connor queried if Ms Harty’s driving had posed a danger to the public. Insp Williams said that as it was late at night the threat had been minimal.

Ms Keane informed the Judge that her client would dispute the fact of the garda sirens having been activated, and explained her client’s behaviour against the background of a family feud.

“Her sister...was very badly attacked with a knife in Askeaton...from her navel all the way down her leg. That occurred in November with this incident taking place in January. At the time she was on her way home from Askeaton having visited her sister when she noticed a car following her and got it into her head it was someone connected with the feud,” Ms Keane said.

When asked if the State accepted this, Inspc Williams said it was what Ms Harty told gardaí on the night. Ms Keane asked that the charge be reduced as her client is currently preparing for a driving test.

Ms Harty was fined €200 on a charge of careless driving and a charge of failing to stop was taken into consideration.