Man drove through train crash barriers during high-speed chase
Declan Brennan
A man drove through crash barriers seconds before a train was due to cross the junction during a high-speed garda pursuit, a court has heard.
Jeffrey Carter (33) drove a car with four passengers at speed through red lights, in the wrong direction in bus lanes and against other car drivers.
After failing to stop for an unmarked garda patrol car, Carter rammed the car and then took off at high speed.
During the high-speed chase around the Sutton and Darndale area of the capital, Carter swerved the car to ram another garda patrol car.
During the "escapade" on May 18th, 2024, Carter rammed this car three times, a garda witness told the court. Carter drove at speed through Sutton Cross where two foot patrol gardai were carrying out a checkpoint.
One of these had to take evasive action to avoid being hit. Carter, who was banned from driving at the time, drove the Renault Laguna car at speed into the crash barriers approaching Sutton DART station.
He damaged all four arms of the barriers, causing over €18,500 in damage and leaving the junction closed for four hours. A train was on the line and travelled across the junction about 30 seconds after Carter had crashed through them.
Carter continued to drive at speed and in a dangerous manner, and at one point drove the wrong way around a roundabout in an attempt to get away from his pursuers. He drove at speed through a built-up housing estate where the chase came to an end.
The defendant tried to get away but was arrested. The court heard that the incident caused €19,000 in damages to the garda vehicles.
Carter of Marigold Court, Darndale, Dublin 17, pleaded guilty to creating a substantial risk of damage and death by driving across train barriers on May 18th 2024.
He also pleaded to creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm by crashing into a garda car, criminal damage and dangerous driving at various locations.
Judge Martin Nolan said Carter's driving was "absolutely terrible" and said that "people could have been killed, people could have been injured".
He noted Carter's long record of convictions and the fact that he is serving a current sentence and is due for release in late 2027. He imposed a prison sentence of two years and nine months, to run consecutively to the term he is serving, and banned Carter from driving for six years.
