This article is from page 12 of the 2008-01-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
A YOUNG man who joined in a high-speed car race on the outskirts of Ennis, amid poor driving condi- tions, was pursued by a garda who was travelling in an unmarked pa- trol car.
Cathal Vaughan (19), originally from Kilkee and with an address in Middlesex, UK, was convicted of dangerous driving and with crossing a continuous white line, at Kilmo- rane, Ennis, on December 29 last.
Sergeant Mattie Molyneaux told
Ennis District Court that he was on duty in an unmarked patrol car at Darragh.
He noticed a car passing by “at very high speed.” As he went to pur- sue it, another car passed by, also at speed.
Sergeant Molyneaux said he 1m- mediately got the impression that the two cars were racing.
He pursued them at a speed of up to 180 kilometres per hour, but “made very little impression on them”.
He said at Kilmorane, the two cars passed a line of vehicles. Another
car, a golf – driven by the accused – pulled out from that line and fol- lowed the two cars.
Other cars were overtaken on con- tinuous white lines, he said.
Sgt Molyneaux said the two cars which had been racing veered onto the bypass, via the roundabout near O’Sullivan and Hansbury garage.
The other car, being driving by the defendant, continued on towards Cahercalla, where he was arrested.
The garda said that traffic was heavy at the time and road surface was wet. “Conditions were not great
for driving,’ he added.
Sgt Molyneaux accepted that the accused was not involved in the in1- tial race, but that he joined in.
Defending solicitor Joe Moloney said his client “cannot explain” why he followed the two cars. He said there was “no oncoming tralf- fic when he (Vaughan) overtook the vehicles.”
The garda said the accused “did co-operate. I cannot fault him for his behaviour after I stopped him, but it was the problems that led up to it.
“I didn’t get to stop the other two defendants.
“IT wasn’t in a position to radio for help,’ said Sgt Molyneaux.
The solicitor said his client has been working in the UK for a number of months and needs his driver’s licence for work.
‘There was no accident, there was no collision. He put his hands up im- mediately,’ said Mr Moloney.
Judge Joseph Mangan fined Vaughan €4,000 but did not ban him from driving, citing work exi1- gencies as the reason.