Kilkenny Circuit Court: Driver in stolen car endangered lives

A four and a half year prison sentence was imposed on a man who admitted driving at speed at a garda patrol car and hitting the side of the vehicle.

Daniel Connors (26), Lurgoe, Killenaule, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty to two charges of endangerment, the unlawful taking of a vehicle, and driving without insurance or a licence on May 25, 2021.

Connors was sentenced at Kilkenny Circuit Court on Monday and handed down a four and a half year prison sentence, with the final year suspended on condition that he enter a bond to keep the peace and engage with the Probation Services. He was also disqualified from driving for five years.

On the date in question a Toyota Hilux had been taken from Pike Street, Killenaule at 4pm. The vehicle was driven to Mullinahone, then Callan and abandoned in New Ross at about 6pm.

Gardaí Aodhan McHugh and Ger O’Leary were on duty in the Mullinahone area that afternoon. Garda O’Leary, who was driving, had just pulled the patrol car to the side of the road at Pennyfeather, Mullinahone, to make a u-turn when a Toyota Hilux jeep came around the corner at speed. It accelerated towards the garda car, drove directly towards it at speed and hit the driver’s side. The gardaí believed there would be a second attempt to ram them and got out of the car. Mr Connors drove from the scene at speed, almost hitting Garda O’Leary, which would have caused serious injury.