A TOTAL of seven cars did doughnuts in the middle of Dunmanway GAA pitch last April, a court has heard.
One of the drivers, who was in a modified Lexus, left the grounds at high speed and later crashed into a garda car.
Jonathan Leahy of Codrum, Macroom admitted having taken some cocaine earlier that night and told Garda Kevin Kennedy that he panicked when he saw the gardaí at the pitch.
Garda Kennedy told Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin last week that Leahy (26) was ‘courteous’ and co-operated with gardaí. He has no previous convictions, he added.
Garda Kennedy told the court that they were informed of seven cars doing handbrake turns on the pitch last April 26th.
When gardaí arrived they observed the drivers ‘doing doughnuts’.
As the gardaí approached, two of the cars drove, off including the Lexus.
The car was later driven at speeds of 100-140 kph.
At one point, it was on the wrong side of the road and caused other road users to come to a stop. It overtook a car on the continuous white line, the garda said.
It then crashed into a barrier, rebounding on the garda car.
Barrister Mahon Corkery said his client had never been in trouble before but he panicked that night.
Judge Ó Donnabháin said the driving was ‘seriously dangerous to the public’.
He imposed a six-month jail term but suspended it in full, and disqualified Leahy for four years.
