Cork driver who evaded gardaí in high-speed chase convicted of dangerous driving

Car's owner said defendant did not have permission to drive his BMW

The incident occurred in Dunmanway in the early hours of July 13, 2004. Picture: Denis Minihane

A young driver who evaded gardaí during an early-morning high-speed chase has been convicted of dangerous driving in the district court.

Sergeant Tom Mulcahy told Clonakilty District Court gardaí were attending the scene of a road traffic accident on Chapel Street, Dunmanway, Co Cork, at 3.10am on the morning of July 13, 2024.

A blue BMW 520 car was observed approaching, but did an abrupt u-turn when it came upon the blue flashing lights of the Garda patrol car. Gardaí immediately followed the BMW, which then sped off in the direction of the town centre.

Approaching Market Square at speed, the car took the right fork heading west going the wrong way down a one-way street. The BMW continued at speed down the narrow Castle Street, where many cars were parked, and carried on heading west into the surrounding countryside at high speed. The court was told gardaí eventually lost sight of the car.

Following enquires, the owner of the car told gardaí it was being driven by another man —19-year-old Colin O’Donovan, of Kilbeg, Leap, Co Cork — on the morning in question and O’Donovan did not have permission to take it.

The court heard the owner had gone to the Parkway Hotel in Dunmanway with O’Donovan and parked the BMW in the carpark. The court heard CCTV showed the owner had left the keys for the car in the petrol cap and left with O’Donovan. The CCTV footage showed O’Donovan returning to the car with another individual later on, retrieving the keys and then driving off.

The court was told O’Donovan had four previous convictions, including careless driving and driving without insurance.

Defence solicitor Conrad Murphy said O’Donovan was pleading guilty to two counts of dangerous driving and to taking the vehicle without permission. He said O’Donovan made full admissions and wished to apologise to the gardaí and the public. 

He said O’Donovan was a hard worker in his father’s plant hire company and hoped to go to work in Australia in the near future.

The court was told O’Donovan suffered from dyslexia and had failed his driver theory test on a number of occasions. Mr Murphy said the owner of the car had declined to give a statement and O’Donovan contended the owner had been drinking and he was returning the car to him as O’Donovan had no alcohol taken on the night.

Judge Joanne Carrol queried why somebody would leave the keys of the car in the fuel cap and said in her view it implied permission from the owner to take the car. She said O’Donovan was very young but his driving was reckless and could have led to “a shocking accident”. 

On the first count of dangerous driving, O’Donovan was convicted and and fined €500 and was disqualified from driving for two years. He was also ordered to carry out 50 hours voluntary work.

The second dangerous driving charge was taken into consideration and the unauthorised taking charge was struck out. The matter was adjourned for finalisation to December 16 to allow O’Donovan time to complete the voluntary work and pay the fine.

This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme