'Immature driver' who sped past Nenagh school lay-by where children were present is jailed

Nenagh Court was told that aTipperary motorist who turned back at a Garda checkpoint had no insurance

placeholder image — Nenagh Court was told that aTipperary motorist who turned back at a Garda checkpoint had no insurance

A motorist who took off at speed when asked by a garda to turn off his vehicle’s engine has been jailed for a total of 12 months by Judge Elizabeth MacGrath at Nenagh District Court.

Patrick Bailey of 37 Ormond Keep, Nenagh, pleaded to dangerous driving at Joe Daly Road, Nenagh; Gortlandroe, Nenagh and Richond, Nenagh, on April 29, 2022.

He also pleaded to having no insurance or driving licence at Joe Daly Road on the same occasion.

He also pleaded to having no insurance or licence at Limerick Road, Nenagh, on March 25, 2023.

Garda Willie Hayes told the court that he observed Mr Bailey driving on April 29, 2022, and directed the driver to stop.

“His window was down. I said turn off the car and get out. He took off at high speed,” Garda Hayes said.

Garda Hayes said he turned on the patrol car’s blue light and observed Mr Bailey overtake a car in front of him. Other vehicles had to mounted a footpath and drove at speed past a lay-by in an area busy with school children.

Mr Bailey then turned right at the junction of Joe Daly Road and St Conlon’s Road.

He said Mr Bailey continued to overtake cars and at one point was travelling at 120km/h in a 50km/h zone.

After 1.5km, Mr Bailey entered the roundabout on the N52 and Garda Hayes said he made a conscious decision not to pursue him any further.

Mr Bailey was arrested later at Ormond Keep.

In relation to the offence on March 25, 20243, Mr Bailey had been spoken to by gardaí and told them he had only driven “from there to here”.

On November 10, 2022 Mr Bailey was observed by gardaí while driving and they knew him to be disqualified at the time, the court heard.

Kenny Kerins, BL, for Mr Bailey, told Judge MacGrath that there “appeared to be a pattern” to his client’s behaviour.

“He is a young man, a very mature 24-year-old, who came from a difficult family background,” he said.

He said Mr Bailey had an “obsession” with cars as a young man and had hoped to become a mechanic but that would now happen.

“He is fully aware he will receive a custodial sentence and is anxious to put his time in prison to good use,” said Mr Kerins. “If it happens again, he will find himself in the Circuit Court.”

Mr Kerins said that “all was not lost and I ask you to give him some hope”.

Judge MacGrath said Mr Bailey’s difficulty was the risk he had caused to other people.

She jailed him for a total of 16 months, but suspended four months of that.