Man who drove at high speed through Limerick village was already banned

A DISQUALIFIED driver who drove at high speed through Adare village when he encountered gardai was banned from driving for ten years.

Brendan O’Connor, 37, who has an address at Kylefea, Croom was convicted of dangerous driving and driving without a licence or insurance.

He was before Newcastle West Court in relation to an incident which occurred a number of hours after he was released on bail having been charged with driving without insurance the day before.

Garda Errol Flynn of the divisional Roads Policing Unit said he and a colleague were on duty near Adare at 5.13pm on May 17, 2018 when they observed a red Honda which was being driven by a male.

He said he observed the car did not have any tax or insurance displayed and that the vehicle “began to speed up” when gardai began to follow it and positioned the patrol car behind it.

Judge Mary Larkin was told the Honda reached speeds as high as 120km/h in a 50km/h zone and that it performed a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre while travelling around a bend near the village.

After entering Adare, the Honda “made a sharp turn” and entered the Deerpark estate where a number of children were playing.

Garda Flynn said he recognised the driver as Brendan O’Connor when he got of the vehicle and began to run away. “I told him to stop, he went into the back of a private house and I could not locate him after that,” he said.

The garda added that he had observed Mr O’Connor at a sitting of Newcastle West Court earlier that day and that he was wearing “the exact same clothing” when he observed him in Adare.

Solicitor John Cussen put it to Garda Flynn that the incident occurred “a good while ago” and that he was mistaken.

“You cannot positively identify the defendant. Is there not a glimmer of doubt in your mind? ” he asked to which Garda Flynn replied: “I have no doubt whatsoever.”

Mr O’Connor who is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence for a separate driving offence, told the court he had “thumbed a lift” home following his court appearance and that he was at home for the evening. “He must be mistaking me for somebody else,” he said. “I can’t be in two places at once.”

While Mr O’Connor’s mother, Anne, gave evidence that he was at home with her and his children, she added that she “wasn’t in his company all evening”.

Convicting the father-of-two, Judge Larkin said she did not accept Mrs O’Connor’s evidence which she described as vague.

“She said the minimum amount to get through today,” she commented.

The defendant, who has 46 previous convictions in total, was fined a total of €1,300 and disqualified for ten years.