‘Boy-racer’ gets two year ban after 160km/h pursuit
By Brendan Grehan
A “BOY-RACER” who led gardai on a 160km/h pursuit on the N7 was put off the road for two years by Blanchardstown Court.
Judge David McHugh also fined Patrick Casey €500.
Casey, aged 21, with an address at St Aidan’s Halting Site, Brookfield, Tallaght, admitted to dangerous driving at the N7 Outbound, Naas Road, on February 8, 2017.
Presenting Sergeant Maria Callaghan told the court that at 10pm on February 8 last, the gardai observed a Volkswagen Passat driving at 120km/h in an 80 km/h zone at the Red Cow on the Naas Road.
She said they followed the Passat which then undertook two cars dangerously.
Sgt Callaghan said the Passat continued at a speed of 160 km/h for 1.4 kilometres in a 100km/h zone.
She said the gardai had difficulty keeping up with Casey, such was his speed, but they managed to pull alongside him for 200 metres and signalled for him to stop. Sgt Callaghan said the gardai had to take evasive action to avoid a collision, but Casey eventually stopped at the Kingswood interchange.
She said Casey had one previous conviction for assault causing harm from July 27, 2014.
Casey’s counsel, Jennifer Jackson Bl, said her client is a young man, “a little boy-racer”. She said nobody was injured in the incident and that Casey would never be before a court again.
She said Casey left school after the Junior Cert and is on jobseekers allowance.
Ms Jackson said Casey is the only car driver in his family and he brings his three sisters and two brothers to school and helps his mother buy groceries.
Ms Jackson said Casey was fully insured at the time.
Judge McHugh fined Casey €500 and imposed a two-year driving ban and noted that Casey had one previous conviction which was not for a road-traffic offence.
