Teenager who drove wrong way on M50 breaks curfew while awaiting sentence

The scene on the M9 in August where five youths died and four others were seriously injured after a head-on collision between two cars. At the defendant's prior hearing, the defence had said the deaths of the five youths prompted a turnaround in the boy's behaviour. File picture: PA

A teenage friend of youths who died in the fatal M9 crash has kept breaking curfew and coming to Garda attention while awaiting sentence for speeding on the wrong side of the M50.

At the Dublin Children's Court, the 17-year-old pleaded guilty in September to charges of endangerment of life and motor theft arising from an unconnected joyriding incident that led to a traffic pursuit on the night of May 18 last.

Judge Paul Kelly then heard that the teenager had changed his ways. However, after a seven-week adjournment during which the boy was placed on supervision, the case resumed, and Judge Kelly heard the boy had continued breaking curfew bail terms and had still been coming to Garda attention. That has prompted an objection to bail.

However, the teenager lacked legal representation because many solicitors were on strike over legal aid payment reforms. As a result, the teen, at risk of going into custody, had his case adjourned with bail and was ordered to appear again next week.

Judge Kelly said the teenager was in a difficult and vulnerable situation. He noted the boy had been assigned a solicitor on legal aid in May, before the dispute escalated into a withdrawal of services, and he had representation at other stages but is now at risk of being detained. He added that the assigned solicitor needed the court's permission to come off the case.

At his prior hearing, the defence had said the deaths of the five youths after travelling and colliding on the wrong side of the M9 in Kildare in August prompted a turnaround in the boy's behaviour. Three adult sisters and a seven-year-old boy in the other oncoming vehicle were either critically or seriously injured in that collision in the early hours of August 16.

Noah Rossiter BL told Judge Paul Kelly that as a result of that, the teenager realised that he would end up "behind bars or in a grave" if he did not change his ways.

Car chase

The boy led gardaí on a 33-minute car chase starting in Tallaght before taking to the M50 motorway twice, entering each time via slip roads on the wrong side and travelling against the flow of traffic.

Garda Jason Curran said the teenager failed to stop for blockade attempts and the use of stinger devices. The Garda Airport Support Unit helicopter tracked him on the motorway, and he stopped after the tyres burst.

The teenager had another youth in the stolen Toyota Aqua. Garda Curran detailed how the car was detected at 9.43pm on Fortunestown Way before it continued through Tallaght and kept driving despite gardaí signalling him to stop.

The court heard it resulted in a traffic pursuit with several dangerous driving incidents. Garda Curran said at 9.54pm the boy entered the M50 the wrong way on a slip road at Junction 10, Ballymount, to evade gardaí. The stolen Toyota sped south in the northbound lane.

Between Junction 12 and Junction 13, he turned around and, after crossing several lanes, travelled the correct way and exited the motorway at Junction 12. At this point, the Garda Airport Unit helicopter "was overhead and had eyes on the vehicle".

It went into back roads in Tallaght, making more dangerous manoeuvres when roadblocks and stingers were deployed, but they were unsuccessful in stopping the boy.

At 10.07pm, the teenager drove the wrong way down the slip road at Junction 12, Firhouse, and continued south in the northbound lane. The court heard that traffic was heavy on the motorway, the weather was poor, the road was wet, and it was dark.

The vehicle was speeding but had damaged tyres and began to slow and stop. The officer believed that was due to burst tyres. 

The defendant and his passenger got out and lay on the ground at the back of the car to surrender themselves to gardaí. The second youth avoided prosecution due to inclusion in the Garda Youth Diversion Programme.

CCTV footage showed he drove on the hard shoulder except when he passed other slip roads on the motorway. 

Troubled background

The garda agreed with the defence that the teenager was apologetic and made admissions immediately after his arrest.

The court heard the teenager had a troubled background and was receiving support from Tusla. Mr Rossiter told the court that the boy, who has no prior criminal record, had experienced a tumultuous period in recent times and had a compromised mental state.

He also had several diagnoses, including ADHD. He required educational assistance in school and recently spent three weeks in custody on remand at the Oberstown Children Detention Campus.

The court had heard that he has since attended training courses and that his time in custody prompted a change in his behaviour. However, in the intervening two months, issues have arisen over his attendance.

He was also getting support from pro-social family members. Mr Rossiter stressed that the boy had recognised his error after seeing the tragic outcome for his friends in the M9 chase.

Judge Kelly described the driving as incredibly dangerous, stating there was "no excuse" for his actions. However, he noted from the footage that the teenager drove on the hard shoulder and flashed his lights to warn oncoming motorists.

The boy still has to enter pleas to 10 connected dangerous driving charges for incidents immediately before, during and after he first turned onto the M50.

He did not have to give evidence and spoke to the judge about his education, his current accommodation, and efforts to support him in the future.