Garda jumped on patrol car to avoid driver

By Liam Heylin

Gardaí had to take evasive action and one officer had to jump up on the bonnet of a patrol car to avoid being struck by a young man who drove for miles around Blarney and Donoughmore trying to avoid gardaí.

Daniel McCarthy, aged 24, of Ballymacandrick, Cloyne, Co Cork, pleaded guilty yesterday at Cork District Court to nine counts of dangerous driving.

Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, said it was an unusual and out-of-character incident for the young man who had never come to any adverse attention of gardaí before this occurred on December 1, 2017.

Mr Burke said that on the night, the accused man was sitting in his car in Blarney having just dropped a young woman home. He was contemplating life having just lost his job.

Mr Burke said the man panicked because he had a small amount of cannabis and cocaine with him on the night and did not want to be detected by gardaí. He told them this when the driving escapade came to an end.

Inspector Finbarr O’Sullivan said the defendant did collide with two garda cars but the inspector said gardaí were concerned on the night to bring it to a halt and had driven closely beside him. The inspector said the collisions were very minor in nature and that there was no question of a garda injury.

Judge Con O’Leary put sentencing back until October 23 saying: “I am not going to impose a custodial sentence although the events would be verging on it. He needs to pay €1,000 to the Garda Benevolent Fund. It is not for the damage. It is for the fright. He clearly gave the guards quite a fright.”

Insp O’Sullivan said the incident occurred after gardaí approached him and activated a blue light signalling for him to remain stopped. He took off at speed from Gleann Na Rí in Tower, across Kerry Road in Coolflugh and on to Foxes Bridge, New Tipperary, Donoughmore, Stuake, Knocknamariff and Cloghroe.

There were nine separate incidents constituting dangerous driving, according to the inspector. And he said that some motorists had to take evasive action so that there would be no collision.

McCarthy pleaded guilty to those counts and to charges of having no insurance and being in possession of cannabis and cocaine.