“THAT’S the highest speed I’ve ever had to deal with” a long-serving Judge said when dealing with a young student who was clocked doing 206kph on the M6 motorway. When signalled to stop by a pursuing Garda, he actually increased his speed.
Judge James Faughnan made his observation at Ballinasloe District Court, after hearing of a high-speed chase by Gardaí which ended when the defendant abandoned his car in a farmyard down a boreen and fled.
Tuam Roads Policing Unit member Garda Connolly gave evidence of detecting the defendant travelling at a speed of 206kph near Aughrim on January 31, 2025.
He pursued Joseph Kelly, Clonbonny, Athlone, and signalled him to stop, but instead of doing so he increased his speed, so much so that he went out of Garda Connolly’s sight for a time until he caught up with him again at junction 15.
Kelly left the motorway at junction 14 with Garda Connolly still in pursuit. He took the Shannonbridge exit and then went down a narrow rural road and finally abandoned his car in a farmyard.
Garda Connolly checked the imaging at the toll booth Kelly passed through before he encountered him, and obtained a photo of the defendant and identified his car registration and traced him through that to his home in Athlone.
When contacted Kelly came to Ballinasloe Garda Station and admitted he was the driver. He failed to produce insurance when it was demanded of him.
Judge Faughnan was told Kelly had received a four-year prison sentence on a drugs charge, which was suspended for five years, but this conviction post-dated the charge before the Court, so this was not a triggering offence.
Gearóid Geraghty solr (defending ) pleaded that his client had got involved with drugs and “went a bit off the rails” but was now off drugs completely.
He was a third-year electrical apprentice, attending college in Galway and doing well, he added.
Judge Faughnan said that was encouraging to hear but as this was the highest speed that had ever come before him there was no question of a driving ban not being imposed. “This was just way too fast” he said and imposed a €500 fine on a dangerous driving conviction and a two-year driving disqualification for driving without insurance.
