Man convicted in high speed chase has 40-year driving ban
By Fiona Ferguson
A 29-year-old man convicted of leading gardai in a high-speed car chase was under a 40-year disqualification from driving at the time, a court has heard.
Graham Taylor has 121 previous convictions, including 11 previous for dangerous driving, burglary, handling stolen property, criminal damage, as well as road traffic and public order offences.
Taylor, of Kiltalown Park, Tallaght, was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury following a trial earlier this year of three counts of endangerment and three counts of dangerous driving in Tallaght on June 19, 2016.
Taylor, who was disqualified from driving for 40 years in 2012, continues to deny involvement in the offences.
Detective Garda David Jennings told Dean Kelly BL, prosecuting, that he was stopped at lights at 12.30pm at the junction of Brookfield and Cheeverstown Roads when he saw a Volkswagen Passat being driven by a person he recognised as Taylor turning onto Brookfield Road.
Det Garda Jennings said he moved his vehicle to block the path of the Passat but it took off at high speed.
He said gardai began to pursue the Passat while it drove at high speed on the wrong side of the road, overtaking other cars, and then went the wrong way around roundabouts and forced other motorists to mount the pavement to avoid a collision.
He said at one stage, gardai were travelling at 120 kmph in a 50 kmph zone and the Passat was pulling away from them.
Garda Jennings said the gardai lost sight of the car after it approached a bend at high speed on the wrong side of the road at Lidl on Fortunestown Lane, before going the wrong way around a roundabout at City West Road.
He said the pursuit, which lasted about two minutes, took place during moderately heavy traffic and the roads were wet and slippery, with light rain falling.
The garda agreed with Karl Monahan BL, defending, that there had been no collisions and no injuries.
Mr Monahan said Taylor was now the father of a young child and had strong family support. He said Taylor wished to undertake an electrical apprenticeship and recognised that it was time to change his life.
He said Taylor succumbed to drug use at an early age and first went into custody as a 17-year-old. He submitted there was a risk of institutionalisation given the time Taylor had spent in the prison system.
Counsel said Taylor was using his time in custody well, doing courses and linking in with services.
Judge Karen O’Connor adjourned sentencing to consider a probation report currently being prepared.
TAGS Tallaght
