Courts / Dublin / Report

Driver who was disqualified for 15 years led gardai on high speed chase

Date
2018-10-25
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Ronald Lawlor, 36, who had been disqualified from driving for 15 years, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended, for leading Gardaí on a high‑speed chase. He had 164 prior convictions, mainly for road traffic offences, and was found guilty of endangerment, dangerous driving, damage to a Garda patrol car and refusing a breath test. During the chase, he drove at speeds up to 140 km/h, drove the wrong way around a roundabout, collided with a Garda car causing about €3,000 in damage, and threw a beer can out the window. He was arrested after refusing an alcohol test. The judge imposed a ten‑year driving ban and ordered him to work with the Probation Service on alcohol misuse and, if suitable, a road safety programme. Lawlor claimed he had stopped drinking four months earlier and suffers from depression.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Driver who was disqualified for 15 years led gardai on high speed chase. Charges or matters: endangerment on Moyne Road, dangerous driving on Grange Road, Baldoyle, damage to a garda patrol car and failing to provide a breath sample at Ballymun Garda Station on December 10, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Case subjects

Ronald Lawlor

Defendant

Charges: endangerment on Moyne Road, dangerous driving on Grange Road, Baldoyle, damage to a garda patrol car and failing to provide a breath sample at Ballymun Garda Station on December 10, 2016 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Officers who knew Lawlor and were aware that he was disqualified from driving warned him not to drive but Lawlor took off at speed. Today Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three and a half year sentence with the final 12 months suspended.

Places mentioned

Residence
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Journey Or Route
Garda Station
  • breath sample at Ballymun Garda Station
  • Ballymun

Topics

Road Traffic Stage Sentence

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

Correction or retraction request

If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.

Email a correction request