Courts / Kildare / Report
Banned roads offender who drove wrong way down dual carriageway is jailed
Summary
Michael McDonagh, a 49-year-old banned roads offender with over 200 previous convictions, was jailed for three years after driving the wrong way down the hard shoulder of the Naas dual carriageway. McDonagh pleaded guilty to endangerment, dangerous driving, and driving without a licence or insurance. He stole a car and evaded gardai by speeding at high rates, breaking red lights, and driving on the wrong side of the road. The pursuit lasted seven minutes, with McDonagh reaching speeds of up to 120km/hr in a 60km/hr zone. Gardai broke off the chase due to the danger. McDonagh was extradited from the UK in 2024 and has been in custody since. Judge Martin Nolan noted the dangerous and reckless nature of the driving and imposed a three-year sentence, along with a five-year driving disqualification.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Banned roads offender who drove wrong way down dual carriageway is jailed. Charges or matters: endangerment, dangerous driving, driving without a licence and having no insurance on June 25, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 25, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2024 Incident
- 2025-11-25 Publication
Why: Gardai broke off the pursuit at this point because it was dangerous to continue. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: endangerment, dangerous driving, driving without a licence and having no insurance on June 25, 2020 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: The court was told gardai later became aware that McDonagh was serving a sentence in the United Kingdom. He imposed a three-year sentence, backdated to when McDonagh went into custody in October 2024.
Places mentioned
- Donomore Avenue
- Tallaght
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Fortunestown Lane
- Cheeverstown Road
- Naas
- Other road
Topics
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