A 15-YEAR-OLD Dublin boy led 10 patrol cars and a Garda helicopter on a high-speed pursuit for 35 minutes, a court has heard.

The youngster, who cannot be named because he is a minor, is to be sentenced in July after he pleaded guilty to motor theft, resisting arrest and a litany of dangerous driving charges.

The Dublin Children's Court heard that at one point during the pursuit the repeat teen offender drove on the wrong side of a dual carriage-way.

Judge John O'Connor heard that the boy was spotted driving a stolen 4X4 with no lights on in the early hours of January 13 last.

The boy was detected on Balbutcher Lane, Ballymun in north Dublin at about 4.30am when gardai signalled him to stop but he did not pull over resulting in a lengthy chase.

Garda Ross Brierley told Judge O'Connor the “pursuit involved up to 10 Garda cars and the Garda helicopter” and went on for 35 minutes.

The teenager sped towards Dublin Airport, Gda Brierley said, adding, “the manner of driving was extremely dangerous on a number of occasions”.

The court heard that there were six incidents of dangerous driving and at first he headed towards Finglas.

During the drive he was “weaving in and out of both lanes”; the teen ignored speed ramps and continued towards the Ballymun Road where he broke a red light.

Gardai in patrol cars “tried to box him in” but the teenager “took evasive action”.

Outside Charlestown Shopping Centre, on St Margaret's Road, Dublin 11, the boy drove the stolen Mitsubishi Pajero onto a filter lane on “the wrong side and drove up a dual carriage-way the wrong way”.

He nearly collided with a set of traffic lights and took off in the direction of the airport.

Later, at Cardiffsbridge Road, in Finglas, the teenager again drove on the wrong side and was “weaving in and out over speed ramps, at speed”.

The teenager, showed no remorse in court as evidence was given. The judge was told he was arrested “absconding from the vehicle” and “kicked out at gardai”. “At all times, the accused was driving the jeep in a public place in a dangerous manner,” Gda Brierley said.

The court was told that the boy already had 19 criminal convictions, including one for motor theft for which he was given a four-month sentence in February.

The teenager, who has since been released, also had public order, assault, criminal damage and theft offences on his record as well as a charge for violent behaviour in a Garda station.

Judge O'Connor said the teenager, who was accompanied to his hearing by his mother and lawyer, had committed a serious offence and a custodial sentence would have to be considered. But a probation report was required and the case was adjourned until a date in July.

The judge told the boy that if this behaviour continues he will “end up a career criminal” to which the 15-year-old replied, “No I'm not, those games are over”.

The case was adjourned for six weeks and the teenager said “nice one judge yeah” as he was remanded on continuing bail.

Irish Independent