John Sweeney who was jailed at Letterkenny District Court for ramming a Garda patrol car.
A man who rammed a Garda patrol car when driving on a cocktail of alcohol and drugs has been sentenced to 23 months in prison.
John Sweeney had the last six months of the sentence suspended at Letterkenny District Court after pleading guilty to up to 30 offences.
The court heard that he already had 32 previous convictions.
Judge Paul Kelly heard that Sweeney caused more than €3,300 damage to a patrol car after a pursuit through Letterkenny.
The charges included dangerous driving, drink driving, theft, burglary and causing criminal damage.
Inspector Goretti Sheridan told the court gardaí were forced to pursue Sweeney, 21, through Letterkenny at 5.30am on October 14th last.
Sweeney reached speeds of more than 120kph and drove the wrong way around roundabouts before he burst a tyre and travelled on bare rims.
He overtook an ambulance and rammed the Garda car on at least two occasions.
He was eventually stopped by gardaí after he crashed into a ditch and gardaí were forced to use their pepper spray on him.
He later told gardaí he had taken vodka and valium tablets on the night in question.
The court also heard how he stole a handbag, phone and a car from a house on College Road in Letterkenny.
He also admitted smashing a window at a Subway restaurant in Letterkenny on August 23rd last causing €840 worth of damage.
Defence solicitor Patrick Gallagher said Sweeney had a very difficult upbringing and has been using drugs and alcohol since the age of 12.
He said his client accepts that the dangerous driving on October 14th “was lunacy”.
Sentencing Sweeney, Judge Kelly said the most recent offences had been committed while he was on bail.
He said the driving on the night of October 14th was “one of the most outrageous examples of dangerous, reckless and utterly reprehensible driving that I have witnessed”.
The judge said that despite efforts by Sweeney to improve his situation the driving charges could only be met with a custodial sentence.
Judge Kelly sentenced Sweeney to a total of 23 months in prison, with the last six months suspended. He was also disqualified from driving for five years.