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Garda left with facial injuries after crash during high-speed pursuit
Summary
In a Dublin court hearing, Thomas Stokes, aged 30 and with 171 prior convictions, was charged after a high‑speed chase that ended with a Garda car crashing into a wall. Stokes, who drove at speeds up to 180 km/h and swerved aggressively, was attempting to flee from Gardaí who had approached his vehicle at Dublin Port. The pursuit resumed on the M50, where Stokes braked hard and crashed, causing the Garda car to swerve into a wall. The impact forced the Garda's firearm butt into his face, resulting in severe eye and facial injuries, soft‑tissue damage to his arm and shoulder, and damage to his teeth. Stokes was arrested nearby and has remained in custody, except for a brief compassionate bail in March. He pleaded guilty to two counts of endangerment, one count of assaulting a Garda, one count of dangerous driving, and one count of criminal damage. He will be sentenced on Wednesday.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Garda left with facial injuries after crash during high-speed pursuit. Charges or matters: two counts of endangerment, one count of assaulting Gda Bialkowski and one count of dangerous driving at Promenade Road, Dublin Port and Cookstown Way, Tallaght; one count of criminal damage in relation to a separate incident at Limekiln Green, Crumlin six years ago, on October 10, 2014. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 29, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 10, 2014 Incident
- December 2018 Incident
- 2020-05-25 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: two counts of endangerment, one count of assaulting Gda Bialkowski and one count of dangerous driving at Promenade Road, Dublin Port and Cookstown Way, Tallaght; one count of criminal damage in relation to a separate incident at Limekiln Green, Crumlin six years ago, on October 10, 2014 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He will be sentenced on Wednesday.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Promenade Road
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Cookstown Way
Topics
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