Frances Watkins, 28 Jan
A DETECTIVE decided to stop a garda pursuit along a narrow country road
as he feared there could be a “fatality”.
Levi Meehan, aged 19, of The Archways, Newcastle West pleaded not
guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance or a driving
licence at the local court.
Detective Garda Patrick Lee said he was in an unmarked patrol car on
July 1, 2021 when, on exiting a petrol station at Churchtown, Newcastle
West, he saw Mr Meehan driving a vehicle with another male in the
passenger seat who was also known to him.
“They were going in the direction of Ardagh. I was going in the same
direction. Two or three miles outside the town the car turned down a
very narrow road. The speed limit is 80kms. I turned on the blue lights
and indicated for them to stop. The car took off at high speed. I
deactivated my lights and stopped the chase.
“I believed it was dangerous for me to continue at that speed. If I met
another car or a pedestrian there could have been a fatality,” said Det
Garda Lee.
The detective located the car at the end of the road at Garranekeevan,
Newcastle West and saw the driver running through fields.
“There were three other passengers in the car. I made enquiries with
(garda) control. It was registered to a name that one of the passengers
had. He denied he was the owner of the vehicle. The passengers said
they did not know the driver. They said they got a lift,” Det Garda Lee
told the court.
Judge Carol Anne Coolican was told the vehicle was registered to Mr
Meehan’s address but when Det Garda Lee called to the house on July 7,
2021, Mr Meehan’s parents “denied any knowledge”.
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When Det Garda Lee spoke to Mr Meehan, the defendant denied driving the
vehicle on the date in question.
Daniel Krieth, solicitor for Mr Meehan, made an application to Judge
Carol Anne Coolican to dismiss all charges on the issue of
identification.
“Garda Lee said he observed Mr Meehan on the opposite side of the road
through two separate panes of glass as he was exiting a petrol station
when he would have been looking at both sides of the road,” said Mr
Krieth.
The solicitor also submitted the dangerous driving charge did not meet
the required (legal) threshold.
Inspector Gearoid Thompson, prosecuting, said gardai are well used to
identifying drivers and Mr Meehan was just five metres away from Det
Garda Lee.
Regarding the dangerous driving charge, Insp Thompson said the
detective made the right decision to abandon the chase because it was
“dangerous to the public”.
Judge Coolican said she believed there was sufficient evidence to meet
the case.
Mr Meehan then took the stand and said he was not driving.
Insp Thompson commented that Det Garda Lee “didn’t pull his name out of
thin air” adding: “He saw you driving and the car was registered to
your home address.”
Mr Meehan again denied driving the vehicle.
Judge Coolican said she was satisfied that Det Garda Lee had identified
Mr Meehan when he was coming out of the petrol station and that he was
guilty of dangerous driving.
The judge also referred to Det Garda Lee's evidence that he had stopped
the pursuit over fears of causing a fatality.
In mitigation, Mr Krieth said his client was 17 at the time.
“He ordinarily works in construction but is in between jobs. He doesn’t
agree with the court. He fell in with a bad crowd but has moved away
from them. He has no previous convictions,” said Mr Krieth.
Judge Coolican imposed fines totalling of €1,000 in relation to the
dangerous driving and insurance charges. The driving licence matter was
taken into consideration.
Recognisance was fixed in the event of an appeal.