'Youthful stupidness': Cloghan drink-driver led gardai on dangerous pursuit

A young drunk driver who led Gardai on a dangerous pursuit during which he drove on the wrong side of the road, swerved across the path of pursuing Gardai and ignored stop signs has been fined and put off the road.

Josh Bradley appeared at Letterkenny District Court where he pleaded guilty to the charges arising out of the incident on May 19, 2024.

The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving, drink-driving and driving without insurance.

The court heard that Bradley, of Ballykerrigan, Cloghan, was observed acting suspiciously in a vehicle parked up at Meeting House Street in Stranorlar at 1.48am.

Sergeant Jim Collins said that when approached by Gardai, the black Nissan X-Trail jeep reversed and then drove off leaving Gardai being forced to swerve to avoid the patrol car being struck.

Gardai activated their lights and sirens as the vehicle headed towards McClay's Corner, where it engaged in a number of dangerous driving manoeuvres including driving on the wrong side of the road.

The jeep then drove on towards Ard McCool where the driver ignored 'stop' signs and when Gardai tried to overtake the offending vehicle, it swerved in their way.

The jeep was eventually stopped and when the driver was later tested, a positive reading of 55 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood was given.

It was later discovered that the accused, Josh Bradley, was not insured to drive the vehicle.

Sergeant Collins said the accused man was very apologetic when he sobered up and confirmed he has no previous convictions.

Bradley was charged that on May 19, 2024, at Ard McCool, Stranorlar, he did drive a vehicle in a manner (including speed) which having regard to all the circumstances of the case (including the condition of the vehicle, the nature, condition and use of such place and the amount of the traffic which then actually was or might reasonably be expected then to be therein) was dangerous to the public or was likely to be dangerous to the public.

This charge was contrary to section 53(1) of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 as substituted by section 4 of the Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011).

On the same date at Meeting House Street, Stranorlar, while being a specified person as defined in section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 as amended by section 9 of the Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011, he did drive a mechanically propelled vehicle while there was present in your body a quantity of alcohol such that, within three hours after so driving, the concentration of alcohol in his blood did exceed a concentration of 20 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, to wit 55 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

This charge was contrary to section 4(2)(b) & 4(5) of the Road Traffic Act 2010

Also on the same date at Meeting House Street, Stranorlar, he was the user of a mechanically propelled vehicle, such vehicle being one for which neither a vehicle insurer nor an exempted person would be liable for injury caused by the negligent use of said vehicle at that time and for which there was not then in force an approved policy of insurance as required by Part VI of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, as amended by Part VI of the Road Traffic Act, 1968, as amended.

This charge was contrary to section 56(1) & (3) Road Traffic Act 1961 as amended by section 18 of the Road Traffic Act, 2006.

Solicitor for Bradley, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said his client was in college but also worked part-time.

He said the incident on the night was a stupid mistake and completely out of character and that his parents were very concerned for Mr Bradley.

Mr Gallagher added that this appeared to be "youthful stupidness" and that nothing like this had ever happened in Mr Bradley's formative years and described the incident as a "blip."

However, Judge Éiteáin Cunningham intervened saying "this was more than a blip" adding that Bradley's actions on the night had put Gardai and other road users at risk.

Mr Gallagher replied that his client had since completed and passed the Pro Social Driving Course and confirmed Bradley had not come to the attention of Gardai since the incident.

Passing sentence, Judge Cunningham noted Bradley had completed the Pro Social Driving Course but added that the accused was lucky he was not looking at a suspended jail sentence.

She added that this was because he had no previous convictions, that hopefully he has learned his lesson and also that he has completed the Pro Social Driving Course.

She fined Bradley €200 and disqualified him from driving for two years for drunk driving, fined him a further €100 and disqualified him from driving for two years for dangerous driving. A charge of driving without a license was struck out.