Driver jailed for road rampage
A DRIVER has been jailed for a road rampage in west Dublin that a judge said was “absolutely frightening” and put many people’s lives at risk.
David Murphy forced gardai and other motorists to take evasive action to avoid collisions during the incident.
Blanchardstown District Court
Judge David McHugh sentenced him to five months in prison and banned him from driving for four years when he pleaded guilty at Blanchardstown District Court.
David Murphy, a 31-year-old father of one, from Belfry Green in Tallaght, admitted dangerous driving, and failing to provide a breath sample after he was arrested.
The court heard on April 7, 2018, a Nissan Micra was reported to be driving dangerously at Park West Avenue, Ballyfermot.
Gardai went to Cedarbrook Estate and the car drove at speed towards them and failed to stop, Sgt Maria Callaghan said.
It performed a handbrake turn in the middle of the road, then drove off on the wrong side, forcing gardai to make an emergency stop and take evasive action.
The car drove through an industrial estate, breaking a red light and forcing passing vehicles to halt.
Oncoming cars had to stop suddenly when Murphy broke a red light at speed at the Nangor Road.
The Micra entered the bus lane and passed a line of cars at speed. Innocent drivers had to brake sharply and narrowly missed him as he crossed a continuous white line at Watery Lane, Sgt Callaghan said.
Murphy drove at high speed into Clondalkin village, breaking a red light at a pedestrian crossing and overtaking a lorry.
The accused performed a handbrake turn in the middle of the road and the car stalled.
Murphy was arrested and failed to give a breath sample.
He had previous convictions for assault and other offences and was already serving a sentence at the time of his court appearance.
“That is an appalling escapade where he put the lives of numerous people who were using the road on the night in question completely in full-on danger,” Judge McHugh said.
Murphy’s father had died following an assault when the accused was 18, his barrister Ciaran MacLoughlin said.
After this, the accused “went down an avenue of taking illicit substances and drinking heavily.”
A lot of his prior offences happened when he was intoxicated and he had not been drinking since 2018.
“It was an appalling exercise where he put so many people’s lives at risk – it’s not covered by ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t stop for the guards’,” the judge said.
The accused was lucky he was not “deceased himself,” he added.
