Cork man gets 6months jail & 25year driving ban for dangerous driving in Tramore

Sully

Hey,

I cant find an article on it but I know it was announced on local radio (WLR FM) news about it. I was a witness to the whole event so ill describe what happened, so you can see how much damage was caused and how little was done about it by the court.

Anyway, at about 11.30PM last Monday night a car was heard screeching the breaks many times around the top of the town (Tramore). No notice was taken at first until an 05 Volkswagen Golf was spotted by myself and a few lads, racing down the road we were on. It had about 6 people in it. It turned into the estate crashing up onto a footpath before racing down on flat tires and doing a 180 degree skid at the end of the road. It then raced back up the street again right out onto the road without stopping at a very dangerous speed. The street was busy with cars parked on both sides - typical estate - and a few people ran into houses to get away from the car in case they crashed again. We called the cops and jumped into a few of us in the estate - such as neighbors - jumped into cars and vans and tried following the car until the cops came (which was in a matter of minutes - excellent response rate). We lost the car as it was going at such a speed so searched the rest of the joining estates along with the Gardai.

We travelled out in the direction of Newtown cove to find a very badly worn car tire on the side of the road. The marks were visible on the road that the car was now running on its rims. The car was spotted in the car park and the cops surrounded the car while we left to leave them at it. Afterwards, we were told that the cops had to call in a van from Waterford as the driver refused to go into the car and when forced damaged the Garda car. He had to be restrained for the safety of himself and others around him. He also refused to take a breath test (as per the new law - 2 years in jail for refusing this ya?) as it was clear he was under the influence (and possibly on drugs). When they took him away in the van, they just pounded against the side of it shouting and screaming. He was placed in a cell in Tramore - with his friends in the others - but they were all shouting and screaming. The car was badly damaged in the incident to. It is believed they were from the Cork / Kerry area. Not to sure if they stole the car or not tho.

Anyway, the judge sentenced him to 6months in Jail and a ban from driving for 25 years. Afterwards, the Gardai were supprised at the sentence and though he should of got more. I think he should have aswel to be honest. Dangerous driving, driving under the influence, refusing to take a breath test, damage to a garda car, taken away in a van, had to be restrained etc. All that and only a bare sentence? Pathetic.

Mossy Monk

yeah. it is pathetic. sentencing seems to be very light for alot of serious crimes these days

Bards

But failure to pay a TV License or a fine and be faced with a much stricter sentence

mike65

Indeed the state takes a dim view of an arm of the (semi-) state (RTE) being denied its income.

Mike.

Minto

I'm not condoning what they did in any way (I also was on the street where the incident happned and took part in the search for them), but is it possible that the judge may have taken some of the other offences (such as the refusal to take a breath test) into cosideration when banning the driver from driving for the 25 years? I'm not sure what the typical or minimum ban from driving for those offences are, but i'd assume its left to the judge to decide himself/herself!

Sully

Minto wrote:

I'm not condoning what they did in any way (I also was on the street where the incident happned and took part in the search for them), but is it possible that the judge may have taken some of the other offences (such as the refusal to take a breath test) into cosideration when banning the driver from driving for the 25 years? I'm not sure what the typical or minimum ban from driving for those offences are, but i'd assume its left to the judge to decide himself/herself!

OK so what the judge was saying was;

"Its wrong of you to drive like the way you did, and as you didnt learn the other 100 times (or watever) - your banned for 25 years. However, while abusing the gardai, damaging a cop car, terrorising people in the estate you drove in, refusing to take a test for alchol limit, putting others in danager, having to be restrained and taken away in a van called in from the city - well, ill just give you a few months in prison for that."

He should have been given at LEAST a years jail sentence. Not 5 or 6 lousy months.

themonk

here here .... if he disrespects law like this a 25 year driving ban means nothing .... and 6 months in jail what does that amount too these days .... ( maybe a stabbing the way things are going ) .... methinks a fine is the only way to make offense like this seem sensible ... especially if he owned the car ... as stolen vehicle is at least 1 year term ... fair play to yez judge ...

merlante

If you think that's bad, if it was a woman with a kid, she would have gotten a suspended sentence.

I'd give him a year in the slammer and one night in bubba's cell! (He wouldn't feel like such a big man after that... unless of course he genuinely is a big man. )

themonk

hahaha:D

DéiseGirl

Will he actually spend any of the 6 months in jail?:mad:

Bards

D&#233 wrote: »

Will he actually spend any of the 6 months in jail?:mad:

no becasue the spaces are being taken up by really serious criminal types like failure to pay fines etc.:mad:

DéiseGirl

Bards wrote:

no becasue the spaces are being taken up by really serious criminal types like failure to pay fines etc.:mad:

I'd say these lads manage to get around the driving bans as well...sure stopping someone from driving is depriving them of a basic human right isn't it....:rolleyes:

ToxicPaddy

As someone already said, if he's willing to drive like that then something tells me he wont be obeying the 25 year driving ban. Should have had a number of offences against him there and each should have been given a seperate stint in jail..

Fair play to ya Sully and to the cops for chasing him down and finding him, I'd say after all that effort and getting him in front of a judge only for him to give out a sentence that is a complete waste of time must be really disheartening for the gardai and everyone involved.

What planet do some judges live on these days eh? :mad: