Driver (21) performed ‘donuts’ outside Louth church before high speed chase with gardaí
The Drogheda IndependentA 21-year-old motorist who performed “donuts” on the road outside a church and in front of gardaí before speeding off has been convicted of dangerous driving.
Kyle Dunne, Tower View, Tenure, Dunleer, had his case put back for sentence.
He contested summonses for dangerous driving at Roxborough, Castletown, Priestown, Tenure and Paddock, all Dunleer, last year.
He denied being behind the wheel of a Lexus and testified that he was unable to drive in the manner alleged.
After convicting the defendant, Judge Nicola Andrews remarked that “donuts” are “the most unsafe thing you can do on the road”.
Gda Niall Higgins gave evidence that he was a passenger in a patrol car which happened to come across a silver Lexus at the church in Tenure at 8.54pm on February 12, 2024.
It was doing “donuts” – spinning its wheels and going around in circles.
The car window was down. The officer said he was looking directly at Kyle Dunne who he knew.
The blue lights were activated on the garda car as the Lexus went off at high speed towards Mullary. Conditions were dry.
It took a right at Mullary Cross, through the townland of Roxborough, took a right at Kieran’s Cross onto the Bog Road and continued to Mr Dunne’s house at Tower View.
Gda Higgins said the Lexus was in the driveway. It was still hot. There was no one inside.
He knocked on the door of the house. No one came out.
He returned to the address “on numerous occasions” and got no answer.
The witness said a registration check was carried out to find the car owner. According to the PSNI the last owner was a different male. There were no insurance records.
Barrister Eoghan Fagan said that the vehicle registration check, which was of benefit to the defence, was not disclosed. He applied for a dismissal on those grounds.
Garda Inspector Kevin Toner said that a registration check didn’t disclose anything about the incident.
Judge Andrews refused the application.
Kyle Dunne testified that, as usual, Jonathan Cleary picked him up for work and dropped him back home at 6pm.
They then went to work on a car Jonathan bought. It was 10pm when he got back home again.
The accused said the Lexus was not his and neither was he driving it. He had no idea who owned it.
He added the car must have been left in the driveway of his mother’s house where he lived, and that the driver ran off. It was the first house in the estate.
Mr Dunne told Inspector Toner that he never met Gda Higgins before.
He liked cars. He got his licence two years ago. He was on a Learner permit. He wouldn’t be able to drive a car like that.
Jonathan Cleary gave evidence that the two of them worked together at the time.
They were working on an Opel Zafira he had bought for his girlfriend. Kyle helped him every evening, using Mr Cleary’s father’s garage at the back of the house.
They finished up about 10pm and were back in the defendant’s house for 10.30pm. He saw no vehicle in the driveway.
Judge Andrews said that she was satisfied to convict of dangerous driving on the basis of the evidence.
The case was put back to January 19 for a community service report for sentence.