Driver jailed for doing 180kph in 60kph zone
Athy Courthouse
A DRIVER recorded doing three times the speed limit received a prison sentence totalling ten months.
Niall Whelan (34) of Coolypullagh, Nurney, Co Kildare appeared in Athy District Court last week, charged with three counts of dangerous driving on the R418 Naas-Athy Road on 28 November 2023.
The offences occurred over a six-kilometre stretch of the route, between Gallows Hill, Russellstown Cross and Kilmead.
When the pursuing garda gave evidence of Mr Whelan doing 180kph in a 60kph zone, Judge Desmond Zaidan paused for a moment before asking: “Did you know the guards were following?”
Court presenter Sergeant Dave Hanrahan said: “Mr Whelan said he did not know he was being followed.”
“It was a marked patrol car,” he added, before confirming Mr Whelan’s guilty plea.
“He has one previous conviction, but it was a long time ago,” he said.
The judge commented: “Let’s assume his vision is correct and he wasn’t aware. That makes it worse. Either way, both versions are aggravating.”
Judge Zaidan told the driver: “You were very fortunate Garda Farragher stopped you when he did. It was a blessing in disguise, because it was only a matter of time before you ended in a wheelchair, or killed someone.”
The judge said he had “a duty of care to the public”, as he sentenced Mr Whelan to five months in prison on two counts, to run consecutively, taking the third into consideration. He also banned him from driving for two years.
