A JUDGE has warned a motorist who drove so fast a Garda car couldn’t catch him that he faces jail if he breaches a driving ban.
Jason Kee, 23, drove so fast that Gardai driving at 140kph couldn’t catch him.
Kee appeared before Judge Paul Kelly (pictured) at Glenties District Court on dangerous driving charges.
Supt Michael Finan told the court that on the morning of March 21 last, a garda patrol car spotted Kee driving his 91-registered Honda Civic at speed on the Glenties to Frosses Road.
The officers pursued the car but despite chasing it for eight miles, they were unable to catch Kee. The speed limit on the country road is 80kph.
At one stage Sgt John McGroarty, who was travelling to work at around 8.30am, saw Kee coming towards him.
“Sgt McGroarty saw Kee in the vehicle. Kee was driving at a very high speed bouncing on the roadway and cross the road. Sgt McGroarty had to swerve to his left to avoid a collision,” siad Supt Finan.
Kee, a mechanic, was arrested later that day at a garage in Donegal Town where he works as a mechanic.
A defence solicitor said if Kee was late for work and said he didn’t see the patrol car.
He would probably lose his job as a mechanic if he lost his license.
“Apart from this indiscretion he is a respectable young man,” said the solicitor.
“Sounds a lot more than an indiscretion,” responded Judge Kelly.
Judge Kelly (pictured above) called Kee up and told him: “You were driving at 140kph on a country road. We’ve had some very serious and tragic cases in this county with a serious loss of life. This type of driving is absolutely inexcusable.”
He jailed Kee for three months, suspending the sentence for two years. Kee was also disqualified from driving for three years and fined €250.
Judge Kelly told him that if he breaches the driving ban he will go to prison.