Dundalk court: Man drank seven pints of beer before crashing into patrol car

A south Armagh man who drank seven pints of beer before taking a friend's car to pick his girlfriend up in Dundalk, told gardaí he had panicked when he took off at speed and was involved in a pursuit that ended up with him crashing the BMW into a patrol car, injuring two gardaí.

Cormac Murphy (22) of St. Killian's Park, Whitecross pleaded guilty to nine offences including endangerment, dangerous driving, unlawful use of the vehicle, drink driving and driving without insurance or a driving licence  on February 6th last year.

The court heard on Friday how gardaí had activated the blue lights on the patrol car to stop the defendant on Park Street, but he failed to stop and picked up speed driving fast down Jocelyn Street and travelling the wrong way down Barrack Street.

He then turned onto Quay Street, where he pulled in momentarily, before taking off at high speed down the Point Road, driving across continuing white lines and on the wrong side of the road on multiple occasions, before he reversed out of a yard at the end of the Lower Point Road and collided with the back of a marked Garda Ford Ranger.

He then drove the wrong way on Quay Street, back onto Jocelyn Street and the wrong way up Crowe Street, before turning right and travelling down the town, towards the Newry Road and onto the Red Cow roundabout where he hit the front passenger side of a patrol car, injuring the two officers on board.

The defendant, who had no previous convictions, when asked why he hadn't just stopped for gardaí, said he'd panicked adding "I wouldn't be in this mess if I did pull over".

The Senior Defence Counsel said the offending happened five months after her client suffered a serious fall at work, and the Probation report found no issues around alcohol or drugs, and he now abstains from alcohol.

Judge Dara Hayes, who said Mr. Murphy had foolishly panicked when he believed he was going to be arrested for drunk driving, imposed sentences totalling three and a half years which he suspended in full on him entering a bond to be of good behaviour during that period.

He also disqualified the 22 year old from driving for four months (concurrent) for the dangerous driving offences. 

In addition Judge Hayes fined him €400 for driving without insurance and €600 for drunk driving for which he also imposed a consecutive one year disqualification.