Man drove at 220km/h in ‘Hollywood-type chase’

THE main nightclub area in Cork city witnessed a BMW being driven away from gardaí at over 220km/h in what was described as a “Hollywood-type chase”.

Daniel Heaphy, aged 22, of 27 Careystown Woods, Aghada, Co Cork, drove at 160km/h at Washington Street and on to Western Road at 1am on July 26, 2010, and he drove at an even more dangerous speed when he later emerged from the Jack Lynch tunnel, Cork District Court was told.

Inspector Finbarr O’Sullivan said gardaí in pursuit were travelling at 220km/h but Heaphy was seen to take off and drive even faster. Gardaí stopped at that point on the basis that pursuit was too dangerous, he said.

Different patrol cars followed the car at different stages. One of the gardaí identified Heaphy, who was arrested the following day.

He was before the court on multiple counts of dangerous driving as well as driving without insurance.

Judge Aingil Ní Chondúin imposed a five-month prison sentence, suspended on condition that the defendant would keep the peace for the next 13 months.

She also imposed fines totalling €1,000 on Heaphy and disqualified him from driving for two years.