Ireland Case No. 21090Dangerous driving · Co. Cork · 18 Nov 2021
Cork man jailed for ramming Garda cars and driving wrong way through city tunnel
In February 2021 Tony Caulfield, a 26-year-old man from Cathedral Road in Gurranabraher, Cork, drove the wrong way through the Jack Lynch Tunnel; sources give the date as 21 or 25 February. On 18 November 2021 he rammed two garda cars at the Skew Bridge, drove against oncoming traffic on the N20 Mallow Road at Killeens, and committed further dangerous driving offences in Cork city. He pleaded guilty in January 2023 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to endangerment, dangerous driving and criminal damage. On 16 May 2023 Judge Dara Hayes sentenced him to four and a half years with the final two suspended and disqualified him from driving for eight and a half years, though some reports give the jail term as two and a half years.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced16 May
4 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Tony Caulfield, a 26-year-old man from Cathedral Road in Gurranabraher, Cork, pleaded guilty to endangerment, dangerous driving and criminal damage offences.
- When
- On 21 or 25 February 2021 (sources differ), he drove the wrong way through the Jack Lynch Tunnel in Cork while maintenance staff were working in the tunnel.
- On 18 November 2021 he rammed two garda cars intentionally and pleaded guilty to endangering life, dangerous driving and criminal damage offences.
- Where
- On 18 November 2021 he rammed two garda cars at the Skew Bridge, Lower Glanmire Road, Cork, and drove against oncoming traffic on the N20 Mallow Road at Killeens, Co Cork, causing risk of death or injury.
- Cause
- He drove at high speed through eleven red lights and four stop signs in Cork city and drove down pedestrian steps in an attempt to avoid arrest.
- Charges
- He admitted causing 7,000 euro damage to a garda car on the Skew Bridge, 3,000 euro damage to another garda car at Killeens, and 6,000 euro damage to a patrol car on Mallow Road, Cork.
- He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving counts at Knockfree Avenue and Sweeney's Hill in Cork on 18 November 2021.
- Other details
- He was driving without insurance and while under two different disqualification orders.
- He has 67 previous convictions, including two for endangerment and 20 for dangerous driving, and a probation report assessed him as at very high risk of reoffending.
- In court
- He pleaded guilty in January 2023 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to a series of offences.
- Judge Dara Hayes said the offences were contemptuous and that it was a miracle no one was injured.
- Sentence
- On 16 May 2023 Judge Dara Hayes sentenced him to four and a half years in jail with the final two years suspended; some reports give the jail term as two and a half years.
- He was disqualified from driving for eight and a half years.
60 statements extracted from the articles
- whatCaulfield intentionally rammed two garda cars at the Skew Bridge, Lower Glanmire Road, Cork. (irishtimes.com)
- whatCaulfield pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving at Sweeney's Hill and Knockfree Avenue on the same date. (irishtimes.com)
- whatHe rammed two garda cars intentionally on the same date. (rte.ie)
- whatHe caused €7,000 damage to a garda car on the Skew Bridge in Cork. (rte.ie)
- whatHe caused €3,000 damage to another garda car at Killeens. (rte.ie)
- whatHe caused €6,000 damage to a patrol car at Mallow Road in Cork. (rte.ie)
- whatHe went through 11 red traffic lights and four stop signs while driving at high speed. (rte.ie)
- whatHe drove down pedestrian steps in an attempt to avoid arrest. (rte.ie)
- whatA man who was banned from driving rammed two Garda cars, endangered other motorists and drove the wrong direction through the Jack Lynch Tunnel in Cork. (corkbeo.ie)
- whatHe pleaded guilty to intentionally ramming two Garda cars on November 18, 2021. (corkbeo.ie)
- whatHe admitted causing €7,000 of damage to a Garda car on the Skew Bridge in Cork. (corkbeo.ie)
- whatHe was responsible for €3,000 of damage to another Garda car at Killeens. (corkbeo.ie)
- whatHe caused €6,000 of damage to a patrol car at Mallow Road in Cork. (corkbeo.ie)
- whatHe pleaded guilty to counts of dangerous driving at Knockfree Avenue and Sweeney's Hill in Cork. (corkbeo.ie)
- whatHe drove at high speed through eleven red traffic lights and four stop signs in Cork city. (corkbeo.ie)
- whatHe drove down pedestrian steps in an attempt to avoid being arrested. (corkbeo.ie)
- whereOn November 18, 2021, Caulfield endangered life by driving against oncoming traffic on the N20 Mallow Road at Killeens, Co Cork. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe ramming happened at the Skew Bridge, Lower Glanmire Road, Cork, on November 18, 2021. (irishtimes.com)
- whereCaulfield is from Cathedral Road in Gurranabraher in Cork. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereHe drove against oncoming traffic on the N20 Mallow Road at Killeens, Co Cork. (irishmirror.ie, rte.ie)
- whereCaulfield appeared before Cork Circuit Criminal Court. (rte.ie)
- whenHe drove the wrong way through the Jack Lynch Tunnel in the early hours of February 25, 2021, when maintenance staff were working in the tunnel. (irishtimes.com)
- whenHe pleaded guilty to endangering life on 18 November 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenHe was also sentenced for driving the wrong way through the Jack Lynch Tunnel on 21 February 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe offences of endangering life took place on 18 November 2021. (rte.ie)
- whenSeparate driving offences occurred on 21 February 2021, when he drove the wrong way through the Jack Lynch Tunnel. (rte.ie)
- whenHe pleaded guilty to endangering life on November 18th, 2021 when he drove against oncoming traffic on the N20 Mallow Road, Killeens, Co Cork. (corkbeo.ie)
- whenHe also was sentenced for an offence on February 21st, 2021, when he drove the wrong way through the Jack Lynch Tunnel in Cork. (corkbeo.ie)
- causeHe drove at high speed down narrow city streets in Cork and went through eleven red lights and four stop signs. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHe pleaded guilty to intentionally ramming two garda cars on 18 November 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHe admitted causing €7,000 worth of damage to a Garda car on the Skew Bridge in Cork. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHe admitted causing €3,000 damage to another garda car at Killeens. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHe admitted causing €6,000 damage to a patrol car at Mallow Road in Cork. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHe had no insurance and was driving while under two different disqualification orders. (corkbeo.ie)
- courtCaulfield pleaded guilty in January at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to a series of offences. (irishtimes.com)
- courtJudge Dara Hayes described the offending as an appalling litany of driving offences. (irishtimes.com)
- courtCaulfield appeared before Cork Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to offences including endangerment, dangerous driving and criminal damage. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe judge said the offences were contemptuous and that the probation report put him at high risk of re-offending. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe judge described his actions as contemptuous and said it was a miracle no one was injured. (rte.ie)
- courtTony Caulfield pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to offences including endangerment, dangerous driving and criminal damage. (corkbeo.ie)
- sentenceHe was sentenced to four and a half years in jail, with the final two years suspended. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was reported as jailed for two and a half years. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceJudge Dara Hayes jailed Caulfield for four and a half years. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceTwo years of the sentence were suspended, and Caulfield was disqualified from driving for eight and a half years. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceJudge Dara Hayes sentenced him to four and a half years, with two years suspended, and disqualified him from driving for eight and a half years. (rte.ie)
- sentenceJudge Hayes jailed him for four and a half years. (corkbeo.ie)
- sentenceTwo years of the sentence were suspended and he was disqualified from driving for eight and a half years. (corkbeo.ie)
- otherCaulfield caused €7,000 worth of criminal damage to a garda car at the Skew Bridge. (irishtimes.com)
- otherCaulfield caused €3,000 damage to another garda vehicle at Killeens. (irishtimes.com)
- otherCaulfield caused €6,000 damage to a patrol car at Mallow Road, Cork. (irishtimes.com)
- otherCaulfield was driving while under two different disqualification orders at the time. (irishtimes.com)
- otherCaulfield drove through a total of eleven red lights. (irishtimes.com)
- otherCaulfield had two previous convictions for endangerment and 20 previous convictions for dangerous driving. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe probation report assessed Caulfield as being at a very high risk of reoffending. (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe was driving without insurance and while under two different disqualification orders. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherCaulfield has 67 previous convictions, including two for endangerment and twenty for dangerous driving. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe had no insurance and was driving while under two disqualification orders. (rte.ie)
- otherHe has 67 previous convictions, including 20 for dangerous driving. (rte.ie)
- otherMaintenance workers were on site in the early hours when the February 2021 offence happened. (corkbeo.ie)
- otherHe has 67 previous convictions. (corkbeo.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 16 May2023Cork man jailed for ramming Garda cars and driving wrong way through city tunnel
Court report on sentencing. Adds the charges admitted, the damage amounts, the earlier February 2021 tunnel offence, the sentence and the disqualification. The headline says two and a half years, but the body says four and a half years with two suspended.
convicted, Tony Caulfield, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Tony Caulfield - 16 May2023Man who rammed two garda cars in Cork sentenced
Sentencing report for the existing Cork case. It adds the court details, the sentence, the damage amounts, the February 2021 tunnel offence, the lack of insurance, and the previous convictions. The lede says two-and-a-half years, but the body text says four-and-a-half years with two suspended.
convicted, Tony Caulfield, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Tony Caulfield - 16 May2023Man jailed after ramming garda cars in 'shocking litany of driving offences'
Reports the Cork Circuit Criminal Court sentence: four and a half years with two years suspended, an eight and a half year driving ban, and the separate February 2021 tunnel offences. Adds his previous convictions and the court's comments.
convicted, Tony Caulfield, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Tony Caulfield - 16 May2023Man jailed for ‘appalling’ driving offences including going wrong way down Jack Lynch tunnel
Adds the sentence (four and a half years with the final two suspended), the judge (Judge Dara Hayes), the guilty plea in January 2023 to endangerment, criminal damage and dangerous driving, the Skew Bridge garda car ramming, the Killeens endangerment, the criminal damage amounts, the Jack Lynch Tunnel offence dated February 25th 2021 (the existing record says February 21, 2021), and the probation and previous conviction details.
convicted, Tony Caulfield, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Tony Caulfield