Jason Statham look-alike faces garda pursuit charges at Kildare court
Jason Statham as Deckard Shaw in the Fast and Furious film franchise
IN A bizarre twist of fate, a judge declared the man in the dock before him a dead-ringer for actor Jason Statham – only then to find out he was being charged with the hit and run of a garda car!
“Look at him!” said Judge Desmond Zaidan to Joseph McInerney (34), of NFA, Templemore, Co Tipperary, as he stood before him, charged with endangerment (S13 Non-Fatal Offences Act), and Section 9 of the Firearms Act – production of an implement to injure, to wit, the car.
“He looks like the actor in ,” said the judge at a recent sitting of Naas District Court.
“Clint Eastwood?” offered a few of the more senior practitioners, before petrolhead and defending barrister Mark Gibbons put the confusion to rest by declaring: “No! Jason Statham!”
“I’ll take that!” said the visibly delighted defendant.
Sergeant Dave Hanrahan then read the particulars of the 16 November 2025 allegation to the court.
“There was a report of a hit and run in Kilcullen, and the suspect was seen on the M7,” he alleged. “He slipped away after swerving, and took off at speed.
“He came off the motorway, going down the wrong side of two roundabouts.
“On the wrong side of the road he had a head-on collision with a garda car.
“The garda tried to take evasive action, but the defendant hit the rear of his squad (car).
The sergeant confirmed the book of evidence was ready to be served, and once that formality was over, Mr McInerney was directed to appear before the present sittings of Naas Circuit Court.
