Courts / Dublin / Report

Man claimed he'd been speeding because girlfriend was in labour

Date
2019-05-07

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Donabate

County
Dublin

Summary

Leon O Brien, 22, was sentenced to three years and nine months for dangerous driving, endangerment and possession of 240 g of cannabis, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions. He drove a black Skoda Octavia, pulled a handbrake turn near a Garda checkpoint, and crashed into a Fingal County Council van on Hearse Road. Garda Neil Cotter reported that O Brien fled the vehicle, was found under his father's mobile home in a caravan park with a hand injury from broken glass, and possessed over €1,400 of cannabis. O Brien claimed he was speeding because his girlfriend was in labour, a claim accepted by the court. The van driver, Philip Daly, suffered severe back pain and a spinal collar was applied. Judge Melanie Greally noted O Brien's remorse, limited violence history and the impact on Daly's life, and imposed supervision by the Probation Service for 12 months. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man claimed he'd been speeding because girlfriend was in labour. Charges or matters: dangerous driving, endangerment and possession of 240g of cannabis worth €1,440 around Donabate, Dublin, on September 27, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

September 27, 2016 Incident
2019-05-07 Publication

Why: A young Dublin man who crashed into a van driver after avoiding a Garda checkpoint claimed he had been speeding because his girlfriend was in labour, a court has heard. CNI source report

Case subjects

Unnamed man

Convicted Person

Charges: dangerous driving, endangerment and possession of 240g of cannabis worth €1,440 around Donabate, Dublin, on September 27, 2016 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Leon O Brien (22) was today sentenced to the three years and nine months with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions. Judge Greally suspended the final nine months of a three year and nine months sentence on strict conditions, including that he remain under supervision from the Probation Service for 12 months.