A teenage driver “could have killed half a dozen people” during a high-speed Garda chase across country roads, a judge said.
Patrick Durcan made his comment after hearing that Kieran Hall, 19, sped away from a Garda armed response unit vehicle in South Galway on September 4 of last year.
The high-speed chase continued across country roads for 20km to Clooney outside Ennis, Co Clare.
At Ennis District Court yesterday, Judge Durcan stated the high-speed chase involving the teen, of Clonloum, O’Callaghan’s Mills, “sounded like a whistle stop tour of Co Clare”.
Hall pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance on the date. Sgt Aiden Lonergan told the court the accused’s blue Audi car reached speeds of more than 120kmh and went at a speed in excess of 100kmh through the village of Ballinruan.
Sgt Lonergan stated at one stage it was driving on both lanes of the road to prevent the Garda car overtaking. Another driver had to mount a ditch as Hall drove towards them.
Sgt Lonergan stated when the accused’s car came to a stop at Clooney, his two passengers got out and fled but were quickly apprehended by gardai. Hall remained at large after fleeing the vehicle and Sgt Lonergan said he slept rough in a field before making his way to Ennis Garda station the following morning by foot where he made a statement to gardai.
Judge Durcan stated that he would request a pre-sentence Probation Report and said he would impose sentence in September.
He told the defendant that if didn’t address his “blaggardly approach and his arrogance and stupidity between now and then, he will be spending the winter at Limerick prison”.
