Teenager who broke garda’s hand during stolen car pursuit receives suspended sentence

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A teenager who broke a garda’s hand during a struggle at the end of a stolen car pursuit received concurrent 18-month custodial sentences, fully suspended on conditions. Judge Orla Crowe ordered him to keep the peace and be of good behaviour and to engage with the Probation Service for one year. The proceedings were reported on 12 January 2026.

The young man, who cannot be identified because he was a juvenile when charged, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment, assault, unlawful use of a car, dangerous driving and damaging an official garda vehicle. The offences took place at south Dublin locations along the M50 on 24 August 2023.

Detective Garda Kate Gilligan said that during the pursuit the teenager rammed a patrol car and tried to drive down a slip road onto the wrong side of the motorway. After gardaí stopped the car, the driver door closed on her hand as she struggled to remove him. She suffered two broken bones and was off work for 11 weeks, but said the incident had no lasting effects on her or her work.

Through his counsel, Dominic McGinn SC, the teenager said he had not intended to injure Detective Garda Gilligan and was sorry. He told gardaí he had not stolen the car but had used it the day after it was stolen.

Judge Crowe said Detective Garda Gilligan’s evidence showed the danger posed to the public and gardaí. She noted the teenager’s significant improvement and positive progress.