Cork teenager who took off at speed to avoid gardaí and almost caused collision put off road

Man, 19, drove through a red light, overtaking and cutting across traffic and also overtaking on the wrong side of the road, forcing other drivers to take evasive action to avoid a head-on collision, court heard

Accused pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving and of having no insurance or driving licence at the time.

Blue lights and siren from a Garda car were ignored by a 19-year-old motorist, who took off at speed, driving dangerously through Carrigaline, where he cut across in front of another car with plumes of smoke coming from his Volkswagen Passat.

19-year-old Scott Hogan, of Gort Na Glaise, Kilmoney, Carrigaline, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving and of having no insurance or driving licence at the time.

Judge Mary Dorgan disqualified him from driving for two years, fined him €500 for having no insurance, and €250 for having no licence to drive.

“On the other matters, I am going to look for a probation report. He is at very serious risk,” Judge Dorgan said, as finalisation of sentencing was adjourned until July 22.

Sergeant Aisling Murphy outlined what occurred on the occasion on February 14 in the Carrigaline area.

The teenager drove through a red light, driving onto Western Relief Road. He was overtaking and cutting across traffic and also overtaking on the wrong side of the road, forcing other drivers to take evasive action to avoid a head-on collision.

One motorist described how the defendant cut across her at Herons Wood Road roundabout with plumes of smoke coming from his car and she had to turn left to avoid a collision.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said matters got more out of hand the longer the young man drove: “The panic mounted as he carried on and rather than stopping when things got worse, he just kept digging. He is acutely conscious of the risk of imprisonment. 

"All he can say is that he is very sorry for his behaviour. He is relieved that there was no other event — it was pure good fortune that there wasn’t.”