Driver in high-speed crash during chase jailed for four years

A Dublin man who was involved in a high-speed Garda chase during which he crashed into a taxi has been sentenced to four years in prison.

The court heard Joseph Doyle (31) took the keys for the Opel Vectra from his friend's handbag while they were out socialising that night.

Wrong way
He drove the wrong way down the quays, then failed to stop at a number of red lights and took numerous illegal turns before he was eventually arrested at 4.05am.

Garda Michael Mullen told Karl Finnegan, prosecuting, that Doyle crashed into the back of a taxi.

The taxi driver had to be cut from his car and was later treated in hospital but has no long-lasting injuries.

Doyle eventually stopped the car and jumped out of the vehicle and ran down Peter Row. Garda Mullen gave chase on foot and after warning Doyle a number of times that he would pepper spray him, he eventually deployed the spray to arrest Doyle.

Doyle, of Queen Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to numerous road traffic offences including unlawful use of a car, endangerment, drink- driving and criminal damage on April 1st, 2012. He had 58 previous convictions including assault and threatening to kill gardaí.

Judge Mary Ellen Ring said most of Doyle's driving was against the flow of traffic. She said the taxi driver lost not only the convenience of his car but effectively his workplace and a month of potential earnings.

The judge said the court could not disregard his level of recklessness and added that it was “a miracle” only one person was affected by it.

Judge Ring sentenced Doyle to four years in prison and suspended the last 18 months on condition he remain under Probation Supervision for 18 months on his release. He was disqualified from driving for 30 years following a District Court conviction last year.

Stop his car
Garda Mullen said he indicated to Doyle to stop his car when he first spotted him at 3.55am but he refused to do so and took off at high speed onto Aran Quay, gesticulating at the garda while he did so.

He said the owner of the car was in the vehicle with Doyle at the time. She later told gardaí she had got into the car to stop Doyle driving off in it.