CAKE was thrown at gardai as they pursued a car following an attempted hijacking on the grounds of the University of Limerick, a court has heard.

Details of the bizarre incident were revealed during the sentencing of a man who has admitted several charges – including endangering traffic.

Limerick Circuit Court was told Wesley O’Halloran, 21, of Aurea, Dublin Road, Limerick was one of three occupants of a Toyota Avensis which was being pursued at high speed shortly after midnight on August 2, 2018.

Detective Garda Shane Graham said the car was sought by gardai who had been alerted to an incident at UL around an hour earlier during which attempts were made to hijack a car in which four students were travelling.

He said after gardai approached the Avensis at a petrol station on the Dublin Road, it failed to stop and accelerated.

A pursuit then took place during which the vehicle reached speeds of 120km/h.

The detective told John O’Sullivan BL, prosecuting, that while travelling on the old Dublin Road, the defendant was “hanging out” a rear window and throwing items at the patrol car including cake.

He added that a female passenger also jumped from the car when it slowed during the pursuit.

Following his arrest, Mr O’Halloran denied having any involvement in the attempted hijacking at UL but accepted he had been a passenger in the Avensis when it was encountered by gardai.

Barrister Yvonne Quinn said her client accepts his behaviour was very reckless on the night.

She said he was highly intoxicated on the night and pointed out that Mr O’Halloran was not the driver.

Judge Tom O’Donnell was told the driver, who has since died, was an older relative of the defendant.

“There was an element of bravado,” said Ms Quinn who told the court that her client, who has no previous convictions, is easily influenced.

Judge O’Donnell commented that Mr O’Halloran was an “active participant in what happened,” but said he would require some time to consider the appropriate sentence.