Teen who led Gardaí on M7 chase says “he was going to meet a girl”

By Jessica Magee

A teenager who led Gardaí on a 40-minute-high speed chase through Dublin and Kildare told Gardaí upon arrest that he was going to meet a girl.

Tadhg Keely (19) of Oyster Bay Court, Carlingford, Co Louth, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, with the final year suspended, for what a judge described as his “disgraceful behaviour” on the roads in the early hours of August 10, 2022.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Keely was aged 17 when he drove from Tallaght to Ballymore Eustace at speeds of over 160kmph, breaking lights, driving on the wrong side of the road and the wrong way around several roundabouts.

He struck one roundabout head-on, causing the stolen car he was driving to become airborne and rise three or four feet into the air before landing on the far side.

At one point, ten garda patrol cars, all with lights and sirens activated, were involved in the chase.

Passing sentence on Thurday, Judge Martin Nolan said it was an extremely dangerous incident and that a workman had had to “jump for his life” when Keely drove through traffic cones surrounding roadworks.

“His behaviour on this night was disgraceful,” said Judge Nolan before suspending the final year of the sentence on the basis of Keely’s young age, guilty plea and difficult background.

Keely pleaded guilty to stealing a Toyota Aqua from Belview Court, Blackrock, Co Dublin, on the night in question and also to one count of endangerment on the N81 Tallaght bypass.

He further admitted to dangerous driving at speed on the N7 in Naas, Co Kildare, on the same date.

Sergeant Will Garbutt told Marc Murphy BL, prosecuting, that he was on duty in an unmarked patrol car when he saw a car whose driver appeared to have taken fright and suddenly changed direction.

Sgt Garbutt said the car, driven by Keely, took off at high speed through Tallaght on the N81, narrowly missing a roadworks truck and multiple other vehicles that had to take evasive action.

Keely changed lanes without indicating, overtook cars on the inside lane and took the N7 exit at high speed, all in his attempt to evade Gardaí, at one point driving at speed around a Tesco Express carpark on the Monread Road.

The court heard it was lucky there were no pedestrians in Naas when Keely drove through the town at speeds of over 160kmph on the wrong side of the main street.

He punctured a tyre when he touched down at the Johnstown roundabout and blew another tyre as he left Naas town, continuing to drive at slower speeds on the two good wheels.

The court heard Keely continued to swerve across the road to stop garda vehicles from overtaking him before finally stopping at St Bridget’s Terrace in Ballymore Eustace.

He refused to get out of the car, and Gardaí had to break the window with a baton and handcuff him after a struggle.

Gardaí found two vice grips on the passenger seat and a broken ignition barrel.

Keely was wearing gloves when arrested and handed Gardaí a small quantity of suspected cannabis.

He was interviewed twice with a solicitor and social worker present, but nothing of evidential value arose.

Keely has 36 previous convictions, all from the Children’s Court, including theft, possession of drugs, possession of stolen goods, possession of flick knives and threatening or abusive behaviour.

Sgt Garbutt agreed with Amy Deane BL, defending that Keely had been in the care of the State at the time of these offences.

“He was unsupervised as there was no foster care available at the time,” said Ms Deane.

A probation report and a psychological report described Keely’s “chaotic and unstable life” after his parents died when he was a young child.

He was raised by his maternal grandmother, who eventually had to put him out because of his behaviour, and he lived in ten different foster care placements.

Counsel said Keely told Gardaí he had got “a text from a girl” on the night and was on his way to pick her up in Tallaght.

A probation report deemed Keely as at high risk of reoffending but said he had expressed remorse and a willingness to engage.

The court heard he was using drugs and alcohol at the time of the offence.

Judge Nolan disqualified Keely from driving for three years and ordered him to undergo probation supervision for one year on release from prison.