Dangerous driver gets sentence reduced on appeal
A dangerous driver who crossed four lanes of traffic before jumping from his moving car and fleeing from gardai on foot has had his four-month jail sentence reduced by a month on appeal.
Patrick O’Keefe, (38) with an address in Ballyfermot, Dublin, was convicted in the District Court of dangerous driving on the Nangor Road, Clondalkin on January 9 2024, contrary to section 53(1) of the Road Traffic Act, 1961.
He was also convicted of failing to produce insurance, failing to produce a licence, driving with no insurance and driving without a licence.
O’Keefe was given a custodial sentence of four months and a driving ban of 15 years for the no insurance charge, along with a fine of €500 for the dangerous driving. He later lodged an appeal against the severity of his sentence.
A garda told the District Court Appeals Court that he observed the driver of a BMW increase his speed and cross four lanes of traffic, breaking the lights.
He said that after he proceeded to an estate, the man jumped from the car while it was still moving and fled. He said that gardai pursued the man on foot.
The garda said that O’Keefe has 80 previous convictions.
Defence counsel for O’Keefe Lydia Daly BL, said that her client had addiction issues but that he has been clean for 12 months.
She said that O’Keefe has completed residential treatment and suffers from epilepsy and seizures. Ms Daly said that O’Keefe had a good work ethic and has a good relationship with his children.
Judge Ronan Munro said it seemed to him that the driving was dangerous and that this was the primary offence.
He said that it has been two years since the offence and that while O’Keefe seems to be making some strides, he is “still floating along”.
Judge Munro decided to impose a sentence of three months imprisonment for the dangerous driving charge, saying that if it was not for defence counsel’s mitigation he would have kept the sentence as it was.
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