Courts / Dublin / Report

Backseat passenger in stolen car recorded high-speed chase for Snapchat, court hears

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the back‑seat passenger of a stolen Nissan Micra recorded a high‑speed Garda chase on Snapchat. The driver, Brandon Grant, 19, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, with the final nine months suspended, and disqualified from driving for five years. Grant, who was on bail for 14 offences, had driven dangerously around Swords, forcing pedestrians to jump out of the way and motorists to brake hard. The pursuit ended when he lost control on icy roads and crashed into a pole, after which the car was written off and he was arrested. He pleaded guilty to driving a stolen car and two dangerous driving charges, and the judge noted his 25 prior convictions, including five for stolen‑car offences. The suspended portion was conditional on 12 months of probation engagement. The case highlighted the driver's substance abuse and family difficulties as primary causes of his behaviour.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Backseat passenger in stolen car recorded high-speed chase for Snapchat, court hears. Charges or matters: driving a stolen car in Mount Ambrose, Swords and two charges of dangerous driving on January 14, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• January 14, 2016 Incident
• 2016-06-17 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Road Traffic Stage Sentence Theft

Related court reports

• Stardust survivor left 'aghast' at government redress scheme
• Bulgarian national stole €11k from heavily pregnant woman just one week after arrival in Ireland
• 'Far from peripheral' - Regency getaway drivers fail to have sentences reduced
• Hapless robber dropped phone, cash at raid scenes
• Regency getaway drivers say prison sentences were too high
• Dealer who told mother he'd get 'junkies' to rape her son over drug debt gets 10 years

Read the original CNI report