Man in high-speed chase 'had young son in back seat'

A 44 year-old man who threatened to kill his estranged wife and led gardai on a high speed car chase with his seven year old son in the back-seat will be sentenced later by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Charlie O'Neill, of Balcurris Road, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Barbara O'Neill at her Swords home on January 5, 2005 and to criminal damage, reckless endangerment and dangerous driving in north Dublin on December 30, 2004.

Detective Sergeant Cormac Brennan told Sean Guerin BL, prosecuting, that O'Neill had lived with his wife for more than 20 years before the relationship broke down. He had gone to her new home to see their seven year-old son and had a row with her before leaving with the boy.

O'Neill then rang his wife from the car saying he would not bring the boy back. She called gardaí who spotted O'Neill's car a traffic lights on the Finglas Road. He was asked to pull over but took off at high speed, breaking red lights.

Det Sgt Brennan said O'Neill drove at speeds up to 100 miles per hour, broke seven sets of red lights and overtook traffic on the wrong side of the road. His child was in the back of the car throughout the 11-minute chase.

Gardaí lost him as he overtook a double decker bus on the wrong side of the road but later noticed him parked in Finglas. He saw gardaí approaching his car and sped off, striking the garda vehicle.

Later that night he contacted gardaí saying he had taken pills and was going to The Mater Hospital where he handed over his son.

Days later he went back to his wife's home and argued with her. Det Sgt Brennan said Mrs O'Neill ignored her husband so he took a knife from the kitchen and told her "I'll put this in your head". She told gardaí she was terrified and believed he would use the weapon.

Judge Patricia Ryan heard O'Neill had 14 previous convictions for offences including drugs, criminal damage, possession of a flick knife and public order offences. He had never been employed and is well known to gardaí.

Mrs O'Neill told Judge Ryan that she is now on better terms with the defendant and his happy that her son is safe in his company.

Padraig Dwyer BL, defending, said his client's behaviour was totally unacceptable, that he had since attended counselling and apologised to his wife, son and gardaí.

He was remanded on continuing bail until sentence.