Teenage car thief involved in Garda helicopter chase gets deferred sentence

Tom Tuite

A teenage car thief, who outran a Garda helicopter and covered about 100km from Dublin to Longford in just 35 minutes before crashing, has received a three-month deferred sentence.

The boy (16) pleaded guilty to motor theft and dangerous driving on February 24th.

Dublin Children's Court heard the youth, who cannot be identified because he is a minor, led officers on a high-speed chase, which ended when he lost control after crashing into a roundabout and "spun" off the road.

The court had ordered Probation Service engagement with the teenager and imposed a three-month sentence but deferred activating it pending a review in June.

Earlier, Garda David Jordan told the court that the Volkswagen Golf was reported stolen at 12.05am in Cabra.

The owner had been unpacking after returning from a holiday and had left the keys in the car when it was taken from outside their house.

A patrol vehicle activated its lights and sirens and took up pursuit, but the stolen Volkswagen Golf continued to the N4.

The court heard, "the Garda air support unit was not able to keep up due to the speeds involved".

At one point, the stolen car undertook a lorry on the hard shoulder to evade gardaí, and after 35 minutes, the driver collided with a roundabout, "lost control," and "spun" off the road at Edgeworthstown.

Gardaí caught up, and the boy, then 15, was found sitting in the driver's seat.

Defence solicitor Brian Keenan had said a probation report had raised serious concerns for the teenager who has been the subject of a Garda Information Message – also known as a GIM, a written warning issued by gardaí to let people know of a threat to their life.

The court heard this had impacted the boy's family life, and they had to "move around".

Judge Toale Brendan remanded the boy, accompanied to court by a parent, on continuing bail.