Teen boy (15) broke garda's hand in dangerous driving pursuit, court hears

Fiona Ferguson

The 15-year-old driver of a stolen car broke a garda’s hand closing a door during a struggle as she tried to remove him from the vehicle, a court has heard.

Detective Garda Kate Gilligan vividly described in her victim impact statement the danger the teenager was causing to himself and other road users during a garda pursuit as he drove on the wrong side of a motorway, rammed a patrol car and changed lanes constantly.

The defendant, now aged 18, told the court through his counsel that he had not intended to injure the garda and was sorry.

“If he continued, it could have had devastating consequences for other road users and himself,” Det Gda Gilligan said. She said she would take a broken hand any day over what could have happened.

The young man, who cannot be identified as he was a juvenile when charged with these offences, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment, assault, unlawful use of a car, dangerous driving, and damaging an official garda vehicle at south Dublin locations along the M50 on August 24th, 2023.

Judge Orla Crowe said the evidence of Det Gda Gilligan vividly captured the danger of driving in this way for the public and also for the gardaí endeavouring to end it in a safe way.

Judge Crowe commended the gardaí for their fair evidence in the case.

She noted that the boy had been showing “significant improvement” and was making positive progress. She imposed concurrent custodial sentences of 18 months which she suspended on condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour.

She also set as a condition of his release that he engage with the Probation Service for one year.

Det Gda Gilligan told the court that on the night in question, gardaí received reports of two stolen vehicles driving dangerously against traffic on the M11 at Rathnew, Co Wicklow.

She said when gardaí later encountered one of the vehicles, which was being driven by the boy, it was driving towards Dublin on the correct side of the road. It failed to stop, and a garda pursuit began.

Det Gda Gilligan described how at one stage the boy rammed the patrol car and attempted to drive down a slip road onto the wrong side of the motorway.

Gardaí made a decision to stop the car and manoeuvred to bring it to a halt.

Det Gda Gilligan said she saw an opportunity to take the driver out of the car at this point, but her hand was injured as she struggled with the driver.

She sustained two broken bones in her hand when the driver door closed on it and was out of work for 11 weeks. She said the incident has not had any lasting effects on her or her work.

The teen tried to get away but was arrested and brought to hospital to be treated for injuries.

He told gardaí he was not the person who stole the car but he did have use of it the day after it was stolen. He apologised to other road users and cooperated with gardaí.

Dominic McGinn SC, defending, said his client was anxious to let the garda know the injury to her hand had not been deliberate.

He said the boy had written a letter in which he apologised and said he regretted his actions. He said he has matured since these events and will never do anything like this again.

Mr McGinn asked the court to take into account the fact his client had co-operated with the investigation, pleaded guilty at an early stage and expressed genuine remorse.

He said his client had matured in the past year, part of which he had spent in detention. He said this had a “salutary effect” and he had used the experience to do something with his life and not go back into a spiral of offending. He has taken advantage of the services available to him.

Counsel said the probation report outlined difficulties in the boy's up-bringing but his family is now stable and supportive of him.

He is working to address his educational deficits. The report stated his risk of reoffending had reduced and he is no longer associating with negative peer influences.

The court heard that since the offending in question the youth has racked up a number of convictions, including dangerous driving and criminal damage and offending involving stolen cars.