Garda car diverted from stabbing to deal with dangerous driver

By Claire Henry

A garda patrol car, which was on the way to a stabbing, had to be diverted when they observed a man driving dangerously and endangering the public, a court has heard.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Cal Redmond (26) of Bawnlea Green, Jobstown, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to one count of reckless endangerment and one count of dangerous driving at locations in Foutunestown Way and Bawnlea Avenue on July 24, 2018.

He has 15 previous convictions.

Passing sentence last Friday, Judge Orla Crowe said that the driving by the defendant on the day in question “endangered many people”.

Judge Crowe said a garda car, which was on its way to a serious matter, had to be diverted to deal with this.

She said the defendant “obviously felt the rules applied to everyone but him while driving on two driving disqualifications”.

The judge said she would consider his guilty plea, the past difficulties he has had in his life and that he seems to be dealing with his drug addictions as mitigating factors in this case.

Judge Crowe sentenced Redmond to three years in prison and said, “I wish to incentivise his rehabilitation”, and suspended the final six months of his sentence.

She also disqualified him from driving for four years.

She backdated his sentence to when he went into custody on this matter.

At a previous hearing, Det Garda David Morris told Sinead McMullen, BL, prosecuting, that on the day in question at 7.30 pm he was dispatched to attend a stabbing.

While enroute to this incident, he saw Redmond driving in a dangerous manner.

Det Gda Morris said Redmond was driving at 80-100 km per hour, took a sudden left turn, and two young children had to jump out of the way to safety.

He was also seen driving on the wrong side of the road and driving through red lights.

Redmond stopped the car in the Bawnlea Avenue area and ran into a garden. He was arrested, and the car was seized.

The court heard that at the time of this incident, Redmond had two active driving disqualifications and was under the term of a fully suspended sentence.

The court heard the gardai were delayed by two hours in attending the stabbing.

Sarah Jane O’Callaghan, BL, defending, told the court that her client has had mental health difficulties in the past and also has ADHD.

Ms O’Callaghan said Redmond is turning his life around and wants to live a pro-social life.

She said he has a great deal of remorse for his actions.

Counsel handed many letters into court on behalf of her client including from his mother and his partner.