Carndonagh man failed to stop for gardai and drove through a stop sign at high speed

A young Carndonagh groundworker, who failed to stop for gardai and drove through a stop sign onto a main road during a high-speed pursuit, has been banned from driving for two years.

Declan Fennelly, of 12 Abbotts Wood, Carndonagh, entered a guilty plea to a charge of dangerous driving at Carndonagh District Court, which continues to sit in Buncrana Courthouse.

Defence solicitor Ciaran MacLochlainn had asked Judge Monika Leech to consider reducing the charge against his client to one of careless driving, which doesn’t carry a mandatory disqualification.

Mr MacLochlainn said the 24-year-old had simply “panicked and took off” after he saw the blue lights of the patrol car behind him.

However, after hearing the evidence, Judge Leech said Mr Fennelly’s driving bore “all the hallmarks” of dangerous driving, and she refused to reduce the charge, imposing a two-year ban.

Prosecuting the case, Sergeant Conor Mulkerns outlined the evidence. He told the court how Sgt Michael Devlin had been on mobile patrol during the early hours of Sunday, October 20, 2024, when the offence was committed.

At 1.50am that morning, Sgt Devlin observed a 2013-registered red Ford Focus in a car park off the Ballyloskey Road, Carndonagh.

Upon seeing the patrol car, the vehicle immediately took off at speed. Sgt Devlin activated the blue lights of the patrol car, but the Focus failed to stop and drove through a stop sign before turning left onto the R240 main road.

The court heard how Sgt Devlin was unable to close on the fleeing vehicle due to excessive speed, even though the patrol car was travelling at speeds in excess of 100 kilometres per hour at the time.

The Ford Focus subsequently turned into a housing estate, and the driver ran from the car, abandoning it with its lights still on, before entering a property.

Subsequent investigations were carried out, and Mr Fennelley was identified as the driver. He made full admissions after being spoken to by the guards.

Sgt Mulkerns revealed how the accused had no previous convictions.

Solicitor MacLochlainn told Judge Leech that Mr Fennelly, who was present in court with his father, had “panicked” on the night in question.

“He’s a young, single man; he’s 24 years of age, and he’s a groundworker by occupation. He has no previous convictions and no penalty points.”

“He fully cooperated with the guards after he was apprehended. He panicked when he saw the blue lights of the patrol car, and he took off at speed.”

“This happened at 2 o’clock in the morning, when the roads were very quiet. He just panicked when he saw the guards coming after him,” Mr MacLochlainn added.

The defence solicitor further told the judge that his client had completed the prosocial driving education course following the incident.

“It cost him €250 to partake in the course and they issued him a certificate afterwards. He has received a very good report.”

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After listening to the evidence and mitigation put forward, Judge Leech said she could not reduce the charge of dangerous driving.

“I note that this gentleman has completed this course, so I’m going to leave the fine low as a result. However, the court’s primary concern is to determine whether or not this amounts to an act of dangerous driving.”

“And, certainly, it far exceeds the level required for driving without due care and attention.”

The judge added: “The evidence is very clear that he made the decision to fail to stop upon seeing the gardai, who were driving themselves in excess of 100kph and couldn’t catch up with the accused.”

“This act of driving far exceeds the threshold, and it has all the hallmarks of an act of dangerous driving; therefore, I cannot reduce the charge.”

She then imposed the mandatory disqualification period of two years for a first offence under Section 53.

However, she did reduce the fine in the matter.

“I do commend him for taking steps. He has been very proactive in terms of anticipating the court’s disapproval of his actions, and he has engaged in a course that the court would have sent him on in any event.”

“I note that that has cost him €250, so I’m going to leave the fine at €150, which may be deemed low in the circumstances.”

Judge Leech said she hoped the young Carn man had learned his lesson. She indicated that she may have been open to reducing the charge if Mr Fennelly had pulled over for the guards that night.

“If he had stopped, but he didn’t, and that is to his detriment. And I think he will have learned this very salutary lesson.”