Man drove with partner on bonnet

A jail sentence has been imposed on a man who took his partner’s van after a drunken row and drove 900 metres through the streets of Mallow with her hanging on to the bonnet.

Garda Paul Manton who gave evidence at the sentencing hearing in Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday said the accused was actually a nice man when not under the influence of drink.

“When sober he is a pleasant gentleman, no danger to anyone. Even when in custody he is easy to deal with. He is not aggressive or anything,” Garda Manton said of Gareth Noonan, 38, of Shahanagh, Doneraile, Co Cork.

Noonan pleaded guilty to taking the van belonging to Dixie Jebb on July 30, 2014, at The Arches Bar, Bellvue, Mallow, Co Cork. He also admitted that on the same date – between The Arches Bar and Spa Road, Mallow, he intentionally or recklessly drove and continued to drive while Dixie Jebb was on the van creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said he had to impose a jail term because of a history of drink driving and related offences over the years which had resulted in incremental punishments from the courts beginning with fines and becoming more severe.

He said they did not seem to have any effect on the accused who continued to engage in similar offences even though banned from driving.

“He has an appalling record going back the years (for drink driving-type offences). This was by far the worst case of his driving where there was intentional or reckless endangerment of another person, driving through Mallow with a person on the bonnet and that person remained there until there was some kind of stop or minor collision, luckily ending without injury.

“I appreciate he has difficulties with the management of his emotions when drinking and that he has changed his behaviour since coming before the court,” the judge said before handing down a sentence of two years with the last year suspended.

Previously the judge said, “This is outrageous. To drive through the town of Mallow with someone on the bonnet. And he had a previous conviction for dangerous driving. The fact of it being a built-up area and he kept going until there was a crash. There will also be a driving ban in this case which is almost as bad in modern Ireland.” Yesterday, the judge banned him from driving for five years.

Garda Brian Callinan said recently when the facts were outlined that there was a row between the parties and he took her car without her permission. She jumped on the bonnet of the car to prevent him. He drove for 0.9 of a kilometre with her on the bonnet before she fell off.

As for the status of the relationship now, Garda Callinan said, “They get on at the moment but there is drink involved.”

Defence senior counsel Elizabeth O’Connell said that remarkably the argument they were having continued even after Noonan crashed the car.

Ms O’Connell said of Noonan: “He is a decent, easy to get on with person. But with drink he does get quite irrational. He expressed remorse. It arose out of a jealous reaction on the night in question. It was quite a fiery relationship.”