A young motorist caught performing doughnuts before “fishtailing” in front of gardaí and attempting to evade them by heading towards the border has received a suspended jail term, reports Breaking News.
Ben Murray (25) appeared at Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal facing a charge of dangerous driving.
It was revealed that Murray was attending his first Donegal International Rally in June 2024, reports Breaking News.
Gardaí were called to Drumbarnett, Manorcunningham, following complaints from locals that the road was blocked and several cars were doing doughnuts just before midnight.
Upon arrival, gardaí saw a Lexus is200 executing doughnuts and switched on their blue lights, reports Breaking News.
The car’s driver then fishtailed in front of the patrol vehicle, forcing the officers to reverse their car to avoid a collision.
The Lexus then sped away but was stopped in the early hours of the next day while heading for the border.
The driver, Ben Murray, was arrested and expressed remorse to gardaí, reports Breaking News.
His lawyer, Patsy Gallagher, explained that Murray was attending his first rally and was “showing off for friends.”
He had made admissions, and the car was impounded with his father and uncle having to pick him up, the solicitor added.
Judge Ciaran Liddy asked if Murray, from Carlton Drive, Strabane, Co Tyrone, had any prior convictions, reports Breaking News.
Sergeant Jim Collins said he had one previous conviction for drug driving and had been disqualified for one year.
Judge Liddy noted that Murray had only been back driving for five months when the incident occurred, reports Breaking News.
“This man is looking at a jail sentence,” the judge stated.
Mr Gallagher requested the court to take a more lenient approach, calling it “one stupid mistake,” reports Breaking News.
He added that his client now took the incident seriously and “he should have acted more appropriately.”
Mr Gallagher mentioned that although there was an impression that Murray was “aiming for the border,” he told the court it was not an evasive situation, reports Breaking News.
“There was no chase or otherwise,” he said, adding the vehicle has been moved on.
He also said Murray is doing a crane traineeship, has completed his preliminary tests, and plans to go to Scandinavia to finish that training, reports Breaking News.
Mr Gallagher asked the court to consider lowering the charge to careless driving and to take into account Murray’s early guilty plea.
“The shock of being here has had a very awakening effect on him,” Mr Gallagher said, reports Breaking News.
Judge Ciaran Liddy stated the road was deliberately blocked to “facilitate boy racer activity involving this man performing a fishtail manoeuvre on the public highway.” He noted a Garda patrol car had to take evasive action to avoid being hit and that Murray then drove towards Derry.
He remarked that Murray had only recently resumed driving after finishing a drink-driving ban six months earlier, reports Breaking News.
Judge Liddy said: “It is clear that he learned very little from his experience in court on the previous occasion.”
The judge added that if Murray had not been “well advised” to plead guilty, he would have imposed an immediate prison sentence, reports Breaking News.
Murray received a six-month prison term, suspended for two years, a two-year driving ban, and a €300 fine.
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