Kildare joyrider avoids 15-month sentence because no room in detention centre

A TEEN who was found guilty on eight dangerous driving charges after he led gardaí on a 25-minute chase across south Kildare last year, had a 15-month sentence vacated after the court learnt there were no available beds in Oberstown Youth Detention.

“That’s the law, sergeant,” commented Judge Desmond Zaidan.

“It is a damning indictment on the State, and why some young people think they are untouchable.

“If a garda or a civilian was killed in this would it still hold? I think it would”.

The teen from Athy, who won’t be 18 until May, originally contested the charges in the district court two weeks ago, but was found guilty, with sentencing adjourned until this week (24 March) for a Probation Report – mandatory because of his age.

“”The garda said he had never seen such dangerous driving in his life,” recalled the judge.

“He said (driving straight through) Geraldine Cross at over 100kph was the most dangerous I’ve ever seen.” The court had previously heard from the two gardaí in the chase car who had been on patrol in the town in the early hours of 30 April, 2025 when they got a report of a stolen car doing a drive off from AppleGreen on the Monasterevin Road with €52 of fuel.

What followed was a 25-minute pursuit with speeds of up to 150kph, including going the wrong way around a roundabout, before an Armed Response Unit from Newbridge engaged and deployed the Stinger puncture device which slowed but didn’t stop them.

When eventually stopped, both officers gave evidence that the driver and passenger tried to change seats in an effort to confuse the issue, both were adamant in their testimony, and despite a rigorous cross-examination from defending barrister Hugo Mills, Judge Zaidan ruled against the defendant.

This week the accused was accompanied by his mother and sister in court, and the judge spent a few minutes reading the probation report.

He noted the boy had neither previous, nor post-convictions, was 16 at the time of the incident, and that both he and his passenger were arrested on the night.

Sergeant Dave Hanrahan told the judge that the co-defendant was due in court “in the coming weeks”, however, he later clarified that he had already been up on a racially motivated assault that morning, for which he was put on a probation bond.

“I didn’t know there was a link. If I was told, then (named other teen) would have gone to jail for a year, no doubt about it,” said the judge.

“The gardaí should’ve told me about [named co-accused], because he would not have walked from this court, his record is worse … I’m not a magician, the state has got to flag this for me,” he said.

“Apologies,” said the sergeant.

Returning to the defendant, Mr Mills told how he would be finishing school in two months, and sitting state exams.

“He is overwhelmed and starting to look at the magnitude of his behaviour,” he said.

“He is open to work with the Probation Service, and while his behaviour is entirely unacceptable, it is my contention that the (probation) report is broadly positive, and he is willing to work with conditions,” he added.

“It is a very detailed probation report, largely positive,” agreed the judge, “but the Supreme Court has made it clear that a probation report is not a certificate to get out of jail”.

The judge noted the probation officer had “concerns about his company … and his cannabis habit is increasing”.

“(named defendant’s) reckless behaviour on the night could’ve resulted in serious injury, but he is overwhelmed by the interview process.

“There is no doubt in my mind the aggravating factors far outweigh the mitigating circumstances, and this is at the upper end of seriousness of dangerous driving,” said the judge.

“A message has to be sent out that if you drive like this on public roads, then this court has a responsibility to the general public.

The judge sentenced the boy to five months in detention on each of the three sample charges, ordered them to be served consecutively, and also banned him from driving for six years.

The defendant was taken out of court under garda escort with his mother in tears as the sergeant checked on availability, before the news came back that allowed the boy to walk free with just a driving ban.