Courts / Dublin / Report

Serial offender jailed for chase that endangered school children

Date
2024-01-17
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Wayne Gilligan, 28, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and a three‑year driving disqualification after pleading guilty to endangerment, criminal damage and dangerous driving. The offence occurred on 10 February 2020 in Tallaght when Gilligan drove recklessly, narrowly avoiding collisions with several vehicles and forcing school children to run off the road to escape being struck. Garda Vincent Jaffray described how Gilligan's car, lacking a front bumper, was driven at high speed, over speed bumps, through red lights and in the wrong direction around a roundabout, causing damage to a patrol car and another vehicle. Gilligan's 89 prior convictions, many for road traffic offences, were noted by Judge Martin Nolan, who accepted his remorse and progress in prison while on remand. The judge emphasised that the custodial term was imposed before the driving disqualification. The case was prosecuted by Diana Stuart BL.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Serial offender jailed for chase that endangered school children. Charges or matters: a charge of endangerment, criminal damage and dangerous driving in the Tallaght area of Dublin on February 10, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Case subjects

Wayne Gilligan

Defendant

Charges: a charge of endangerment, criminal damage and dangerous driving in the Tallaght area of Dublin on February 10, 2020 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Nolan said Gilligan deserved a custodial term before he imposed a prison term of three years and disqualified him from driving for three years.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Journey Or Route
Facility
  • Wheatfield prison

Topics

Road Traffic Stage Sentence

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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