Courts / Dublin / Report

Criminal with 168 priors is jailed for high speed chase and burglary of pensioner's home

Date
2025-07-15

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Rathfarnham

County
Dublin

Summary

Mark Kavanagh, aged 48, was sentenced by Judge Orla Crowe to a global term of six years and nine months, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. The sentence follows a high‑speed chase on 28 April 2024 in which Kavanagh attempted to ram a Garda patrol car, drove at speeds up to 120 km/h, and was later apprehended after the vehicle crashed. He pleaded guilty to endangerment, criminal damage, dangerous driving, driving without insurance, and failing to provide a blood or urine sample. Kavanagh also pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and handling stolen property in 2024, including an intrusion into the home of an 85‑year‑old man on 10 June 2024, where a key was taken. He has 168 prior convictions, including burglary, trespass, firearms and drug offences, and is disqualified from driving until 2030.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Criminal with 168 priors is jailed for high speed chase and burglary of pensioner's home. Charges or matters: endangerment, criminal damage, dangerous driving, having no insurance and to failing to provide a blood or urine sample following the chase on April 28, 2024; two counts of burglary and handling stolen property on two separate dates in 2024; a burglary at an address in Dublin 16 on December 7, 2024. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

April 28, 2024 Incident
June 10, 2024 Incident
December 7, 2024 Incident
2025-07-15 Publication

Case subjects

Mark Kavanagh

Defendant

Charges: endangerment, criminal damage, dangerous driving, having no insurance and to failing to provide a blood or urine sample following the chase on April 28, 2024; two counts of burglary and handling stolen property on two separate dates in 2024; a burglary at an address in Dublin 16 on December 7, 2024 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Today Judge Orla Crowe imposed a global sentence of six years and nine months with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. Having imposed a global sentence of six years and nine months, the judge said the court noted Kavanagh had indicated a wish to turn his life around and would give him an opportunity to do so.