Man found hiding in attic of his home jailed for three years
Detective Sergeant David O’Callaghan found Luke Taylor after 9.30pm on Monday night hiding in the attic at Cherry Lawn, Blackrock, Cork, despite being told by someone present that the young man had gone to the UK to work.
At Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday, Detective Garda Des Cogan testified that Taylor was involved in a serious, dangerous driving escapade in the Mahon area of Cork on January 13.
Gardaí signalled for the green Fiat Punto to stop but he drove on — overtaking three cars and went the wrong way around a roundabout.
The incident where he endangered life occurred near St Michael’s Rd at a pedestrian access to Mahon Point where the out-of-control car narrowly avoided pedestrians before eventually crashing a short distance away.
Judge Sean Ó Donnabháin said the endangerment in this case was at the higher end of the scale.
“His previous history is appalling,” the judge said. “He has shown little, if any, effort to rehabilitate. And he did not show any significant efforts to keep himself out of trouble.
“He is going to have to change or burn out. Hopefully, he will do that without any further risk to the community.
The judge banned Taylor from driving for 10 years and imposed a four-year sentence with the last year suspended.
Det Sgt O’Callaghan said earlier in the week that when he went to the house at Cherry Lawn in Blackrock on Monday night he was informed Taylor was not present but he strongly suspected that Taylor was present and in hiding.
“I went up to the attic. I found him hiding under a large amount of property up there,” said Det Sgt O’Callaghan.
