A 15-year-old driver of a stolen car who broke a garda's hand closing a door during a struggle as she tried to remove him from the vehicle has received a fully suspended sentence.
Detective Garda Kate Gilligan 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 added that 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 24 August 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.
'Significant improvement'
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.
Judge Crowe 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.
Det Gda Gilligan said the incident has not had any lasting effects on her or her work.
The teenager 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 co-operated with gardaí.
Apology
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 added 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 the boy had matured in the past year, part of which he had spent in detention.
He added that 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 boy has abided by his bail condition and not re-offended since his release.
Mr McGinn said the probation report outlined difficulties in the boy's upbringing, but his family is now stable and supportive of him and 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.
