Wednesday 28 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. 7092Dangerous driving, false imprisonment and endangerment · Co. Cork · 28 Sep 2022

Man jailed for three years over high-speed driving rampage in Cork

On 28 September 2022, a 35-year-old man drove at high speed for about 40 minutes on a motorway in Cork, endangering the lives of his wife and six children. He rammed six garda cars, injuring four gardaí, before his van was immobilised on Carr's Hill by a stinger device. He pleaded guilty to 13 offences, including dangerous driving, false imprisonment and endangerment. On 16 November 2023 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Colin Daly jailed him, with the final year suspended, and disqualified him from driving for 10 years; the sources differ on whether the term was three or four years.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced16 Nov
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • The 35-year-old man endangered the lives of his wife and six children during a high-speed drive.
  • He rammed six garda cars, injuring four gardaí and causing damage worth €21,000.
Where
The incident happened in Cork and involved a motorway.
When
The incident took place on 28 September 2022 and lasted about 40 minutes.
Investigation
  • Gardaí tried to block the van at the Dunkettle Roundabout and tried unsuccessfully to incapacitate the man with a Taser.
  • The van was immobilised on Carr's Hill by a stinger device.
Other details
  • The man switched seats and jackets with his wife to make officers believe she had been driving.
  • The man had spent five days in a residential psychiatric unit just before the incident.
  • The wife had a domestic order against the man, and the wife and children were beneficiaries of a protection order at the time.
  • The judge said the gravity of the offences was at the highest end of the range, and the man had no relevant previous convictions.
Charges
The man pleaded guilty to 13 offences arising from the incident, including dangerous driving, false imprisonment and endangerment.
In court
The case was heard at Cork Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Colin Daly, and the man's wife gave evidence on his behalf.
Sentence
  • Sources differ on the term: the Irish Times reports three years with the final year suspended, while the case record gives four years with the final year suspended.
  • The man was disqualified from driving for 10 years.
18 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe man endangered the lives of his wife and six children. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe rammed six garda cars and injured four gardaí. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe incident happened in Cork and involved a motorway. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe incident took place on 28 September 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí tried to block the van at the Dunkettle Roundabout. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí tried to incapacitate the man with a Taser without success. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe man pleaded guilty to 13 offences arising from the incident. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe case was heard at Cork Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Colin Daly. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe man was given a four-year sentence with the final year suspended. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe man was disqualified from driving for 10 years. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe wife and children were the beneficiaries of a protection order at the time. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe man's wife had a domestic order against him at the time. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe man had spent five days in a residential psychiatric unit just before the incident. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe van was immobilised on Carr's Hill by a stinger device. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe man switched seats and jackets with his wife to make officers believe she had been driving. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe damage to the garda cars was worth €21,000. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe judge said the gravity of the offences was at the highest end of the range. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe man had no relevant previous convictions. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 16 Nov2023
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Man (35) jailed for endangering lives of wife and children during high-speed driving rampage

    Sentencing report: the man was jailed for three years, with the final year suspended, and disqualified from driving for 10 years. The court heard from the wife, who gave evidence on his behalf.

    convicted, 35, malevictim, female