Thursday 29 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. 9612Dangerous driving and endangerment; possession for sale or supply of drugs · Co. Dublin · 29 May 2023

Man jailed over high-speed car chase with gardaí in Dublin and Meath

Dziugas Odinas, a man from Blanchardstown, Dublin, led a high-speed pursuit by gardaí across Dublin and Co Meath that began at around 12.30am on 29 May 2023 and involved 12 garda cars and a helicopter. Three months later gardaí stopped him on the Ballymun Road and found MDMA and Ecstasy tablets, and on 3 August 2023 he pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of drugs and to dangerous driving and endangerment. A sentence hearing was held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court the previous February. Judge Berkeley imposed consecutive sentences of five years, with a headline sentence of seven years, and disqualified him from driving for five years, as reported on 13 May 2026.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced12 May
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A high-speed pursuit across Dublin and Co Meath involved 12 garda cars and the air support helicopter.
  • Odinas drove the wrong way on the M50 against the flow of traffic, forcing other drivers to take evasive action, and the judge said he drove in an extremely dangerous manner that put others at risk.
  • All four tyres on his car were punctured and patrol cars boxed the car in.
Where
A garda inspector first saw him on the Oscar Traynor Road in Coolock driving on the wrong side of the road, and the pursuit ended outside Gormanstown, Co Meath, after gardaí threw a stinger across the road.
When
The pursuit began at around 12.30am on 29 May 2023.
Weapon
A large knife was found in the car.
Investigation
Three months later gardaí stopped him on the Ballymun Road and found 34 bags of MDMA and four bags of Ecstasy tablets, with an estimated street value of about €60,900, and a small amount of cannabis for personal use.
Other details
  • He stopped the car, got out and accepted his arrest.
  • He was not insured and the car was not taxed.
  • Sources give his age as 25 at the time of the pursuit and as 22 at the time of the offences.
Charges
On 3 August 2023 he pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of MDMA, Ecstasy tablets and Alprazolam tablets, and to dangerous driving and endangerment.
In court
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard a previous sentence hearing the previous February.
Sentence
  • Judge Berkeley imposed consecutive sentences of five years, with a headline sentence of seven years, and suspended the final 12 months on condition that he engage with the Probation Service for two years after release.
  • He was disqualified from driving for five years.
19 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA high-speed pursuit across Dublin and Co Meath involved 12 garda cars and the air support helicopter. (rte.ie)
  • whatOdinas drove the wrong way on the M50 motorway against the flow of traffic. (rte.ie)
  • whatHis driving forced other drivers to take evasive action. (rte.ie)
  • whatAll four tyres on Odinas's car were punctured and patrol cars boxed the car in. (rte.ie)
  • whereA garda inspector saw Odinas on the Oscar Traynor Road in Coolock driving on the wrong side of the road. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe pursuit ended outside Gormanstown, Co Meath, after gardaí threw a stinger across the road. (rte.ie)
  • whenThe pursuit began at around 12.30am on 29 May 2023. (rte.ie)
  • investigationThree months later, gardaí stopped Odinas on the Ballymun Road and found 34 bags of MDMA and four bags of Ecstasy tablets. (rte.ie)
  • chargeOdinas pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of MDMA, Ecstasy tablets and Alprazolam tablets on 3 August 2023. (rte.ie)
  • chargeOdinas also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and endangerment. (rte.ie)
  • courtDublin Circuit Criminal Court heard a previous sentence hearing the previous February. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Berkeley imposed consecutive sentences of five years, with a headline sentence of seven years. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceThe final 12 months of the five-year term were suspended on condition that Odinas engage with the Probation Service for two years after release. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceOdinas was disqualified from driving for five years. (rte.ie)
  • otherOdinas stopped the car and got out, and accepted his arrest. (rte.ie)
  • otherOdinas was not insured and the car was not taxed. (rte.ie)
  • otherA small amount of cannabis for personal use was found on Odinas, and a large knife was found in the car. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe drugs had an estimated street value of about €60,900. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe judge said Odinas had driven in an extremely dangerous manner, putting others at risk. (rte.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 12 May2026
    Sentencedrte.ie, first report
    Man jailed over car chase with gardaí in Dublin and Meath

    Sentencing report of the 2023 pursuit and drug offences. The article gives Odinas's age as 25 at the time of the pursuit and as 22 at the time of the offences, so the age is left empty.

    convicted, Dziugas Odinas, male, namedDziugas Odinas