Truck drivers ‘traumatised but stoic’ after nights in cell

Three articulated truck drivers were “traumatised but stoic” after spending two nights in custody after being detected on YouTube driving their trucks three abreast along the mainLimerick to Tralee road.

The men, two Polish and one Irishman, and all employees of McAuliffe Trucking of Castleisland, Co Kerry, each pleaded guilty last week to dangerous driving in what District Court Judge James O’Connor described as an “outlandish” incident, regardless of any charitable motive involved.

Garda David Kearney, of the Castleisland traffic division, told of how gardaí became aware of the incident when a member of the public saw the video and complained to the Garda National Traffic Bureau.

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

On Tuesday, Judge James O’Connor remanded them in custody to Killarney and Tralee Garda Stations for two nights after a bank draft of €9,000 was handed into court for charitable use by their solicitor Padraig O’Connell.

Yesterday, the men were before Killarney District Court and Mr O’Connell said they were “traumatised by their incarceration”.

The men are to place a speed-limiting device on their vehicles within 14 days which will limit them to 100km maximum per hour.

The probation act will be applied providing there is compliance with the speed limiter when they appear again on Dec 16, 2014.