Courts / Dublin / Report

Hijacker had drank two bottles of whiskey, bottle of gin

Date
2023-02-07

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin City

County
Dublin

Summary

Owen Kavanagh, aged 53, was given a suspended three‑year prison sentence and a four‑year driving disqualification after he hijacked a car on 4 January 2021. He admitted to having drunk two bottles of whiskey, a bottle of gin and prescribed medication before confronting a woman at Campus Oil, East Wall Road, Dublin, demanding her car keys. CCTV showed him threatening the woman with a kitchen knife and two men attempting to stop him. During the subsequent Garda pursuit, Kavanagh broke red lights, drove on the wrong side of the road, drove at excessive speed, collided with a patrol car, and drove around a traffic island. Gardaí used a stinger device to stop his vehicle, deflating its tyres and causing a collision. The court found him guilty of seizing a car by threat or force, criminal damage to a patrol car, three dangerous driving offences and driving without insurance.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Hijacker had drank two bottles of whiskey, bottle of gin. Charges or matters: seizing a car by threat or force, criminal damage to a garda patrol car, three charges of dangerous driving and a charge of having no insurance on January 4, 2021. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

January 4, 2021 Incident
2023-02-07 Publication

Why: Gda Dunne agreed with Michael Hourigan BL defending, that the victim of the hi-jacking later told gardaí that she didn't think Kavanagh would be able to drive the car because he was clearly mentally unwell. Defence account reported by CNI

Case subjects

Owen Kavanagh

Defendant

Charges: seizing a car by threat or force, criminal damage to a garda patrol car, three charges of dangerous driving and a charge of having no insurance on January 4, 2021 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Kavanagh to three years in prison which he suspended in full and disqualified him from driving for four years. He said he didn't believe Kavanagh deserved a custodial sentence.