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A MAN charged with nine counts of dangerous driving after an alleged garda pursuit will face at least two more charges when he returns to court this month.
The man has already been charged with damage to other vehicles and possession of a knife, as well as having no insurance or driving licence.
According to gardaí, he travelled at up to 180kph on rural back roads and through a village where the speed limit was 50kph.
Liam Hubbock (24) with an address in Kilkea, Athy, Co Kildare was due at the Athy District Court to be indicted with 14 charges for his alleged behaviour between Castledermot and Kilkea on 14 December but was a no-show, as he had just been released from hospital that morning according to his barrister Mark Gibbons.
Garda Amanda Kirwan testified that she was on duty on the R418 at 2.30pm when the car allegedly driven by Hubbock failed to stop, which led to a high-speed pursuit from Castledermot to Kilkea on the main Athy to Naas Road.
The garda said: “He collided with the garda van and, when stopped, tested positive for cocaine and was in possession of articles, namely a snood neck scarf, gloves, a long torch and a knife.
“He had no insurance and was driving as a disqualified driver,” she said, adding: “There are still two more charges to be brought.”
“Snood?” pondered Judge Desmond Zaidan. “We’ll have to check the Oxford Dictionary.”
Garda Kirwan said that the defendant was travelling at speeds up to 180kph on back roads, went straight through a crossroads – it was a 50kph zone through one village – and two civilian cars were damaged as well.
Judge Zaidan accepted the reason for Mr Hubbock’s absence but ordered that he return to court on 14 May, to indicate whether he intended to plead guilty or not guilty to the charges.
