Uninsured driver panicked, hit up to 140km/h in chase

An uninsured driver panicked when a garda stopped him this week.

In a high-speed chase on Monday, the man — facing a charge of driving without insurance for a 10th time — hit speeds of 140km/h in the built-up Wilton area of Cork.

Garda Inspector Adrian Gamble said Danny O’Brien initially appeared to be pulling in when gardaí signalled for him to stop.

But the defendant then took off at speed.

The dangerous driving incident began at Wilton Rd after 7.30pm on Monday.

As Garda Michael Ring approached the car after it seemed to pull in, O’Brien took off at speed and engaged in a number of incidents of dangerous driving.

The motorist hit speeds of over 140km/h and swerved across a number of lanes of traffic, the inspector said.

Nobody was injured in the course of the series of incidents, but the accused was himself very shaken when arrested, said Insp Gamble.

O’Brien, aged 23, of 10 Brandon Court, appeared at Cork District Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and having no insurance.

He had 99 previous convictions including nine counts of driving without insurance.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, said the accused was coming from Cork University Hospital and panicked at the fact he was caught again driving without insurance.

Mr Burke said O’Brien had been out of trouble for two years and had no addiction difficulties of any kind.

Judge Leo Malone jailed O’Brien for four months for the offence and disqualified him from driving for seven years.