A JUDGE told a man who drove at 180km/h while carrying a child passenger that he had “dodged a bullet” as she was reducing a prosecution against him from dangerous driving to careless driving, and not banning him from the roads.
John Harty (30), of Thomas Davis Street, Blackpool, County Cork, was detected driving at 180km/h at M20, Barnakyle, Patrickswell, County Limerick, on September 28, 2024.
Mr Harty was before Limerick District Court, where his solicitor Tom Kiely sought to have a dangerous driving charge reduced to careless driving, which carries lesser penalties and potential avoiding of a driving ban at a judge’s discretion.
Sergeant Denis Waters, Roxboro Road Garda Station, told Judge Patricia Harney that traffic was “heavy” when Gardaí detected Harty travelling at 60km/h over the 120 limit.
When Gardaí stopped Harty’s Toyota Avensis, they discovered his child in one of the passenger seats.
Later on, Harty presented himself at Henry Street Garda Station, where he engaged well with the Lifesaver Project road safety programme.
The court heard Harty had 19 previous convictions, including for driving without insurance and a licence; hit and run; and dangerous driving.
Judge Harney put it to Mr Kiely that “180kph is your client’s problem here … I’d accept someone could run over a speed limit, but 180km/h is some speed on an Irish road.”
She said that, despite accepting that “speeding could be dangerous driving”, she was giving Harty “credit that he did the (Lifesaver) course, and I’m mindful that his last conviction was in 2020”.
“I will not look to convict him of dangerous driving, but he must be aware that if his driving was to continue like that, he would be going to prison.”
Judge Harney continued: “I suspect he is probably a good driver … I will reduce to careless driving.”
Mr Kiely asked the judge to consider not imposing a disqualification on Harty, saying: “He’s married, with two children aged 11 and seven, and he is required to drive for school runs, he is living in emergency accommodation in Cork.”
The judge replied: “Alright, I won’t disqualify.”
Judge Harney convicted Harty of careless driving and imposed a fine of €500 euro.
She warned Mr Harty: “You’ve dodged a bullet this time. I won’t be so indulgent if you come back to court again under the Road Traffic Act.”
– Court Reporting Scheme