Driver sped through housing estate weaving between traffic

A DANGEROUS driving father-of-one who sped through a housing estate, weaving in and out of traffic has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Jordan Carroll, aged 21, was given no extra jail time, however, a court heard he is currently serving a sentence for separate offences.

Judge Gerard Jones said Carroll was a danger to society and was in “the right place”. He made the sentence concurrent and disqualified Carroll from driving for 15 years.

The accused, with an address at Lindisfarne Vale, Clondalkin pleaded guilty at Blanchardstown District Court to dangerous driving, having no insurance and no licence.

Garda Kyle Dunphy said the ten-minute dangerous driving incident happened last March 22, when the accused drove into the Deansrath area, at speed, on the wrong side of the road and weaving between traffic.

The Toyota he was driving mounted a footpath and was abandoned at Cherrywood. Carroll ran across a green area before being stopped by gardai at the canal in Clondalkin.

A check revealed the car had gone missing from Alpine Heights, Clondalkin that day.

Carroll also pleaded guilty to charges arising from separate incidents.

The court heard he drove a car that was in a collision at Old Nangor Road, Clondalkin on April 8, 2019.

Significant damage was caused to another car and Carroll was charged with uninsured driving.

On February 14, 2019, gardai were called to Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan where it was reported that the accused had used a wheelbrace to attempt to break into a car.

On November 29, 2018 Carroll came into the public office in Clondalkin garda station and skipped the queue. When gardai asked him to take a seat he told them to “f**k off”. When asked not to swear, he repeated this and left the station.

The accused’s barrister Ciaran MacLoughlin BL said both Carroll’s father and mother had died and the accused slipped through the cracks of society. He had a four-and-a-half year old child who would be nine when Carroll finished his current prison sentence.

It was accepted Carroll had an appalling previous record and had been a “huge menace to society”.

The accused would be more mature on release, Mr MacLoughlin said.

Judge Jones said Carroll was a danger to society and imposed a series of sentences running to 18 months. He said the accused was in “the right place” but he would not extend his stay there.