Friday 30 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 15975Dangerous driving; public order offence · Co. Donegal · 28 Jan 2022

Buncrana man banned for two years after fleeing garda checkpoint

A 31-year-old Buncrana man, Darren McDaid, was charged over a St Patrick's Day 2021 incident in which he was reported to have been verbally and physically abusive and to have hit out towards gardaí. On January 28, 2022, at St Mary's Road in Cockhill, he was reported to have driven off at speed from a garda checkpoint, forcing a garda to jump out of the way, and was charged in connection with that incident. At Buncrana District Court he was convicted of dangerous driving, fined €250 and banned from driving for two years, and fined €300 for the public order offence, with his solicitor saying he pleaded guilty while he was absent after emigrating to Australia. The latest reported development, from September 2024, is the two-year driving ban.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced24 Sep
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • McDaid drove off at speed, spinning the wheels, while gardaí were processing the matter.
  • A garda had to jump out of the way of the car.
  • Gardaí observed McDaid urinating at the roadside on Cockhill Road, Buncrana, at 10.50pm.
  • During a St Patrick's Day 2021 incident, McDaid became verbally and physically abusive and hit out towards gardaí.
Where
Sources place the January 2022 incident at St Mary's Road in Cockhill, and separately refer to Cockhill Road, Buncrana.
When
The incident is dated January 28, 2022.
Cause
Gardaí were conducting a mandatory intoxicant testing checkpoint at 12.11am when they observed McDaid's car approaching.
Investigation
Gardaí detected a smell of intoxicating liquor from the vehicle.
Charges
  • McDaid was charged in connection with the January 28, 2022 incident.
  • McDaid was also charged in connection with a St Patrick's Day 2021 incident.
In court
McDaid was not present in court; his solicitor said he had emigrated to Australia and was pleading guilty.
Sentence
  • McDaid was convicted of dangerous driving, fined €250 with five months to pay, and disqualified from driving for two years.
  • McDaid was fined €300 for the public order offence, with five months to pay.
Other details
The court was told McDaid has five previous convictions.
15 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatMcDaid drove off at speed, spinning the wheels, while gardaí were processing the matter. (donegallive.ie)
  • whatA garda had to jump out of the way of the car. (donegallive.ie)
  • whatGardaí observed McDaid urinating at the roadside on Cockhill Road, Buncrana, at 10.50pm. (donegallive.ie)
  • whatMcDaid became verbally and physically abusive and hit out towards gardaí during the 2021 incident. (donegallive.ie)
  • whereThe incident happened at St Mary's Road in Cockhill. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenMcDaid was charged in connection with the incident on January 28, 2022. (donegallive.ie)
  • causeGardaí were conducting a mandatory intoxicant testing checkpoint at 12.11am when they observed McDaid's car approaching. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationGardaí detected a smell of intoxicating liquor from the vehicle. (donegallive.ie)
  • chargeMcDaid was also charged with an incident on St Patrick's Day 2021. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtMcDaid was not present in court; his solicitor said he had emigrated to Australia. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtMcDaid's solicitor said he was pleading guilty. (donegallive.ie)
  • sentenceMcDaid was convicted of dangerous driving and fined €250, with five months to pay. (donegallive.ie)
  • sentenceMcDaid was disqualified from driving for two years. (donegallive.ie)
  • sentenceMcDaid was fined €300 for the public order matter and given five months to pay. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherThe court was told McDaid has five previous convictions. (donegallive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 24 Sep2024
    Sentenceddonegallive.ie, first report
    Donegal Garda forced to jump out of the way as man sped off from checkpoint

    Reports the court outcome: McDaid was convicted of dangerous driving, fined €250 and disqualified for two years; he was also fined €300 for a public order offence from St Patrick's Day 2021. He was not present in court and pleaded guilty through his solicitor.

    convicted, Darren McDaid, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Darren McDaid