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Judge praises gardai as serial offender gets six years for dangerous on-bail pursuit

Summary

Kenneth Williams, a 38-year-old appellant from Finglas, Dublin, was found guilty by a jury of 20 offences, including dangerous driving, endangerment, and criminal damage, arising from a high-speed Garda pursuit in March last year. The court heard that Williams, who has 130 previous convictions, was on bail and already disqualified from driving at the time of the incident. Prosecution evidence detailed that he drove at 120km/h in a 60km zone, drove on the wrong side of the road, and rammed Garda patrol cars. Despite the title referencing a six-year term, Judge Pauline Codd handed down a seven-year sentence, suspending the final year on conditions. She also disqualified Williams from driving for 20 years. The judge praised the courage of the Gardaí involved in apprehending him. Defence counsel cited mental health issues and PTSD as mitigating factors. Williams has indicated he plans to appeal his convictions. The matter is currently at the appeal stage.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Judge praises gardai as serial offender gets six years for dangerous on-bail pursuit. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty

When:

• March 26 Incident
• 2021-12-10 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Road Traffic Stage Appeal

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Read the original CNI report