Ireland Aaron Donnelly sentenced over 40-minute Dublin garda chase
On 30 November 2021, Aaron Donnelly, an 18-year-old man who was 16 at the time, led gardaí on a 40-minute chase covering 80km at Tolka Valley Road and North Frederick Street, Dublin. Donnelly was sent forward from the District Court on signed pleas to two counts of endangerment and one count of unlawful use of a vehicle without consent at St Mary's Road, Finglas. On 31 July 2024, Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him, with sources differing between three years and four years with the final year suspended. He was also disqualified from driving for six years and ordered to abide by one year of probation supervision on release.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced31 Jul
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Aaron Donnelly, an 18-year-old man, led gardaí on a 40-minute chase covering 80km; gardaí confirmed he was 16 at the time of the offences.
- Where
- The chase was reported at Tolka Valley Road and North Frederick Street, Dublin.
- When
- The offences occurred on 30 November 2021.
- Cause
- The car was reported to have been travelling at 160kmph.
- Investigation
- Gardaí contacted the registered owner, who said they had been out of the country and returned home to find the vehicle missing.
- Donnelly tried to evade a garda stinger device on the old N2, and two tyres were deflated.
- Gardaí said there were no reports of damage to other vehicles and no reported injuries.
- Charges
- Donnelly admitted two counts of endangerment.
- Donnelly also admitted one count of unlawful use of a vehicle without consent at St Mary's Road, Finglas, on the same date.
- In court
- Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court placed the endangerment offence in the middle to high range.
- Sentence
- Sources differ: the headline and opening say three years, while the body says four years with the final year suspended.
- Donnelly was disqualified from driving for six years and ordered to abide by one year of probation supervision on release, with the sentence backdated to January 12, 2024.
- Other details
- Donnelly, of Rathmullan, Co Donegal, has 15 previous convictions, including for theft, assault and road traffic offences.
- The court heard that Donnelly has a diagnosis of ADHD.
15 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA teenage driver led gardaí on a 40-minute chase over 80km. (donegallive.ie)
- whereThe chase is reported to have happened in Dublin, at Tolka Valley Road and North Frederick Street. (donegallive.ie)
- whenThe offences occurred on 30 November 2021. (donegallive.ie)
- causeThe car accelerated at high speed, travelling at 160kmph. (donegallive.ie)
- investigationGardaí contacted the registered owner, who confirmed they had been out of the country and returned home to find their vehicle missing. (donegallive.ie)
- investigationDonnelly tried to evade a garda stinger device placed on the old N2, and two tyres were deflated. (donegallive.ie)
- investigationGardaí said there were no reports of damage to other vehicles and no reported injuries. (donegallive.ie)
- chargeDonnelly admitted two counts of endangerment. (donegallive.ie)
- chargeDonnelly also admitted one count of unlawful use of a vehicle without consent at St Mary's Road, Finglas. (donegallive.ie)
- courtJudge Nolan placed the offence in the middle to high range of endangerment. (donegallive.ie)
- sentenceJudge Nolan sentenced Donnelly to four years with the final year suspended and disqualified him from driving for six years. (donegallive.ie)
- sentenceThe sentence was backdated to January 12 of this year. (donegallive.ie)
- sentenceDonnelly was ordered to abide by probation supervision for one year on release. (donegallive.ie)
- otherDonnelly has 15 previous convictions, including for theft, assault and road traffic offences. (donegallive.ie)
- otherThe court heard Donnelly has a diagnosis of ADHD. (donegallive.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 31 Jul2024Donegal teenager jailed for 40-minute high speed garda chase that lasted 80km
Sentencing report. The headline and opening say Donnelly was jailed for three years, but the body says four years with the final year suspended. The article also says the offences occurred on November 30, 2021, while the garda confirmed Donnelly was 16 at the time.
convicted, Aaron Donnelly, 18, male, named, irish (judged from name)Aaron Donnelly