A high Court judge yesterday said the drivers of stolen vehicles who rammed Garda cars would be better described as "death riders" rather than "joyriders".
Mr Justice Budd was awarding compensation totalling more than £36,000 to two Dublin gardai injured in rammings.
Garda Patrick Lavelle told the court that a stolen BMW, travelling at 100 m.p.h., struck and somersaulted over his patrol van on May 14th, 1994, and ended upside down on Chapelizod Bridge. The garda said he had recurring flashbacks since the incident, in which he received back and neck injuries.
The court awarded him £16,584 in a claim under the Garda Compensation Acts.
Det Garda Kieran McEnaney said he was driving a Howth station patrol car when he was rammed by a stolen car at Belcamp Lane, near Coolock, on June 18th, 1993. He suffered whiplash injury to his neck and back.
He was awarded £20,822. Mr Justice Budd said the drivers of stolen vehicles were not only a danger when they wantonly rammed Garda cars. They also put citizens at risk.