Student gets suspended sentence following car chase

A Limerick man who led Gardai on a ten mile chase around Limerick has escaped a jail sentence.

21 year old Padraig Lillis from Lisaleen, Patrickswell led multiple Garda units on the chase which included driving the wrong way around a roundabout, breaking a red light and endangering lives by forcing traffic to swerve out of the way on several occasions.

Mr. Lillis pleaded guilty to all nine charges filled against him following the incident which happened on July 11th. The charges include Drink driving, failure to stop and seven counts of dangerous driving.

Garda Selena O`Keefe told Limerick District Court this was `the worst car chase` she has ever dealt with. She said Padraig Lillis` car reached speeds of 190 kilometres an hour during the 16 kilometre chase which began near Singland Cross on the Dublin Road and ended at Killonan, Ballysimon.

The 21 year old, who is currently in college in Cork told the court he wasn`t making conscious or rational decisions at the time. He had been assaulted in a bar in Limerick earlier that night and decided to go to his girlfriends house.Garda O`Keefe agreed he was a man of previously good character an said this seemed like a `moment of madness`.
Via Live95FM News

The young man escaped with a six month sentence suspended for two years.