A Ferrari travelled at speeds in excess of 190k/ph (120mph) as it raced a high-powered motorbike on a dual carriageway near Galway city before both sped away from a chasing Garda Toyota Avensis car.
The following day Garda Paul O'Donoghue traced the owner, Peter Maher (30), Renville, Oranmore, Galway, who admitted he had been driving the car. Garda O'Donoghue told Galway District Court yesterday that on January 22nd last year at 1.30am he was a front-seat passenger in a Garda patrol car when he noticed the Ferrari ahead of him on the inside lane of a dual carriageway. A motorcycle was on the outside lane.
The Ferrari driver and the the motorcycle rider, Kieran Flaherty (28), Parkmore, Dooras, Kinvara, "lined up" beside each other before accelerating in a high-speed race down the dual carriageway.
Weather conditions at the time, Garda O'Donoghue said, were not good. It was misting, the road was wet and visibility was poor.
The Ferrari soon outstripped the motorcycle and sped away at speeds in excess of 192k/ph, but gardaí managed to keep the motorcycle, which had slowed somewhat, in their sights. Flaherty continued to travel at high speed on the English-registered motorcycle before pulling in near Kilcolgan village, six miles away.
Maher and Flaherty, who did not know each other, admitted dangerous driving. Judge Mary Fahy said both men had acted in a juvenile manner. She convicted and fined Maher €600 and disqualified him from driving for six months.
She fined Flaherty €500 for dangerous driving and disqualified him from driving for six months.
He was fined a further €300 for not having insurance.