TOM TUITE
A Dublin youth has been denied bail after a court heard that he almost caused numerous collisions and tried to ram a garda van during a high-speed pursuit.
The 17-year-old boy has been charged with dangerous driving by speeding at Cheeverstown Road, Citywest Avenue, Citywest Road and Brookfield Road in Tallaght, on Wednesday July 24th.
He is also accused of criminal damage to a garda van at Citywest Road and trespassing in circumstances causing fear at Belfry Avenue, on the same date.
Gardai in Tallaght had spotted the teenager, who has not yet entered a plea, driving a car at Brookfield Road and followed it, the Dublin Children’s Court heard.
Citing the seriousness of the offences, Garda Dave Morris objected to bail and told Judge John O’Connor that the teenager drove the wrong way on a roundabout and “doubled back” in a dangerous manner.
“He tried to swerve on our side, tried to ram us off the road,” Garda Morris said adding that his colleague, who was driving their patrol van, managed to avoid a collision.
It was claimed the teenager drove along the Cheeverstown Road and overtook other cars while there was on-coming traffic.
The juvenile court heard that other cars had to swerve to avoid being hit and the teenager allegedly continued speeding and broke red lights and almost caused more crashes.
At Citywest Road, cars at a roundabout had to brake suddenly as the teenager drove through and then began driving on the wrong side of the road, it was alleged.
It was also claimed the youth approached another roundabout and failed to stop and drove around it on the wrong side of the road before crashing into a tree.
Two males fled from the car which did not have its handbrake on and then rolled back into the front of a garda van which was damaged.
The car then rolled across a road into a tree while people where on a nearby footpath.
The court heard that the youth, who was accompanied to his hearing by his mother, fled through back gardens of houses before he was arrested.
The teenager had told gardai “shove it up your hole” when he was charged with damaging the garda van and claimed that he was with his partner in response to the trespassing offence.
In court, however, his solicitor Brendan Aherne said the youth, who was granted legal aid, admits he was in the car but denies being the driver. The lawyer asked the court to grant bail and said the youth was anxious to avoid going into custody.
Judge O’Connor refused bail and remanded the teenager, who may not be named because he is a juvenile, in custody to appear again next week.