Teen jailed for stolen van garda chase

A teenager who was “out of his head” on the night he stole a van causing gardaí to give chase has been banned from driving for six years and given two years detention with the final year suspended.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawful possession of a van, dangerous driving, driving with no insurance and having no driving license on May 9, 2009.

He was given a six-month sentence for dangerous driving and a six month sentence for driving with no insurance. Both sentences are to run concurrent.

Garda Keith Cassidy told Mr Damian Colgan BL, prosecuting, that he observed a Ford Transit van being driven at speed near the roundabout on the N32 at Coolock.

The van continued onto Stockhall Lane when Gda Cassidy activated the blue light and siren. The driver of the van continued to drive in an erratic manner, mounting a grass verge and overtaking a car on a continuous white line onto the N1.

While on the N1, the youth overtook another vehicle while vehicles were oncoming and drove through two red lights near Cloughran roundabout.

“The van was driven completely around the roundabout and then turned back to Stockhall Lane taking two bends on the wrong side of the road near Bewely’s Hotel on the N32,” said Gda Cassidy.

The youth then drove into the rear of a taxi and failed to stop at the scene.

While driving towards Clarehall, the driver of the van cut across the path of an oncoming vehicle causing the vehicle to narrowly miss the patrol car.

The youth then drove the van into Tara Lawns Halting Site where he tried to drive through a gap in the railings but the van got stuck and was written off.

The youth, who left school when he was 10 years of age, had been taking tablets and alcohol on the night of the offence.

Judge Katherine Delahunt said the youth, who has 24 previous convictions, is “a menace who caused significant loss to people.”