A 22-year-old father of an eight-month-old who went on a high-speed motorcycle chase through two counties was handed three concurrent five-month sentences at Carlow District Court this week.
Derek Shaw, 56 Mount Leinster Park Tullow Road Carlow was before the court charged with dangerous driving and a number of other motoring offences.
Garda Thomas Hennessey told the court that on Monday October 27, 2008, he was on official motorcycle patrol at Craan Carlow. There was heavy traffic on the road and he noticed a motorcycle passing him with what seemed to be a young driver. He became suspicious and activated his sirens before pursuing the driver. Once close enough, he signalled for the driver to stop. At Crow’s Grove Kildavin, the driver stopped. But when Gda Hennessey dismounted and approached the motorcycle, the driver took off at speed in the direction of Clonegal.
“He was in excess of 100kph while overtaking traffic in an 80kph zone. There was heavy traffic in the area. He continued on the road and turned onto a motorway off ramp going in the wrong direction. He then entered a grass verge maintaining control of the vehicle by placing his feet on the ground. He then sped up and entered the village of Kildavin. I was travelling at 120kph just to keep up,” said Gda Hennessey in evidence.
Gda Hennessey said the driver continued at speed frightening a pedestrian and passing a stop sign. By now in Co Wicklow, at a dangerous bend the driver lost control of the motorcycle, crossed onto the wrong side of the road and then crashed into a ditch. When Gda Hennessey asked Mr Shaw for his licence, he was told Mr Shaw had no licence and had no insurance. The motorcycle was seized. Defending solicitor Peter Kenny told the court that Mr Shaw who is a recently unemployed father and is expecting his second child in the New Year was anxious not to leave his partner alone for Christmas with a young family.
“He admits that he panicked and is aware that he could be looking at a custodial sentence here. He and his partner are hoping to get the keys of a local authority house in the New Year and he is a man of meagre means,” said Mr Kenny.
“Then what was he doing with this motorcycle?” asked Judge Harnett. “I asked him that very question and he said he bought it to do up and sell on,” said Mr Kenny. “He regrets what he did and the manner of his conduct,” he added.
Judge Harnett said Mr Shaw was very reckless. “He was well aware of the garda and yet he drove dangerously down a ramp the wrong way and through a village where at various stages he was doing what would be 75 miles an hour in a 50 mile zone. He was placing the public and the garda at risk. A motorcycle of that size at that speed is like a large bullet. If people want to drive that fast they should go on special days with the special clothing to Mondello.”
Imposing three concurrent five-month sentences plus three concurrent disqualifications from holding a driving licence of six years, Judge Harnett also fined the defendant €1,000. Mr Shaw will not serve his sentence until the outcome of an appeal is heard in another court.
