Teen drove sideways and collided with patrol car
The boy is aged 17 and from Dublin. He was spared a custodial sentence after he pleaded guilty to criminal damage and multiple counts of dangerous driving in connection with the 25- minute chase in north Dublin on the night of January 17. Judge John O’Connor also ordered the
teenager must stay out of trouble for the next year and a half, and accept guidance from the Probation Service to divert him from re-offending.
If he breaks the terms, he could face a custodial sentence.
At an earlier stage the youth was told he was lucky no one was killed and he did not end up on trial for manslaughter, as he had shown no regard for human life.
Garda Cormac McGill told the hearing that two gardaí from Ballymun detective unit had come to a roundabout in Finglas when a Fiat Punto driven by the boy came through the roundabout from the left and failed to yield, causing the gardaí to brake suddenly.
The teen drove on while pursued by the Garda car which had activated lights and sirens. He failed to stop and sped off, before driving over small roundabouts.
The court heard the boy drove at excessive speeds in residential areas, and other road-users had to pull in out of his way as he drove in the centre. He overtook a Dublin Bus at speeds in excess of 100kph and drove the wrong way on a roundabout on Balbutcher Lane. He mounted a green and “a man had to be pick up his dog and run out of the way to avoid being hit,” the garda said.
The court heard the youth, who had no driving licence or insurance, eventually collided with a patrol car, causing €4,500 worth of damage.
