Trio face jail time after driving trucks three-abreast on main road for charity

Three articulated trucks were driven three-abreast along the main Limerick to Tralee road, blocking the oncoming lane, so it could be recorded and put on YouTube for charity, Tralee District Court was told.

The drivers, two Polish men and one Irish, all employees of McAuliffe Trucking Ltd, Castleisland, Co Kerry, all pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

Their solicitor, Padraig O’Connell, said they took to the road on Sunday morning of Oct 14, 2012, for the Share a Dream and Pieta House charities, but admitted it could have been better organised.

Gardaí became aware of the incident when a member of the public who saw the video on YouTube complained to the Garda National Traffic Bureau.

One of the drivers was also charged with parking dangerously. He parked the truck on the flyover at the Castleisland dual carriageway and two cars struck each other, the court heard.

Judge James O’Connor described the behaviour “for half a mile three abreast across the road” as “outlandish” and “scandalous”.

“There was absence of ordinary, plain common sense here. It should never have happened. It should never have been advertised. This is scandalous,” he said, warning Mr O’Connell that the men would have to spend a short period in jail.

Krzysztof Sokolowski, aged 33, of Main St, Castleisland; Lorcan Regan, aged 20, of Mein, Knocknagoshel; and Slawomir Kupiec, aged 36, of Clonough Drive, Limerick Rd, Castleisland, each pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Dooneen, Castleisland, on Oct 14, 2012. Kupiec also pleaded to dangerous parking at Mullaghmarky, Castleisland, on the date.

Mr O’Connell said there was “a bigger picture”: It was for charity and there was no gain for the men themselves.

The three men were going to have to serve time, Judge O’Connor said. This could be two nights minimum in garda custody he told Mr O’Connell, who pleaded against a longer sentence.

The matter is to be finalised on Tuesday.