A driver who revved his engine and swerved towards a garda conducting a roadside checkpoint, striking him on the arm as he drove past at speed, has been fined and disqualified from driving for two years. Our road traffic defence solicitors advise on dangerous driving, careless driving, and disqualification issues.
David Spears, 41, of Cross Roads, Yellow Walls Road, Malahide, admitted dangerous driving at the R132 near the M1 Business Park in Balbriggan on June 12, 2025.
Judge Shalom Binchy convicted Spears, fined him €300, and imposed the mandatory two-year driving disqualification.
An application to reduce the charge from dangerous driving to careless driving, which would not have carried an automatic disqualification, was refused.
Judge Binchy said the allegation before the court was that Spears had swerved towards a garda and struck him on the arm, and she was satisfied that this met the threshold for dangerous driving.
Garda Stephen Morgan told Swords District Court that he was carrying out a mandatory intoxication testing checkpoint on the R132 at about 12.30am when a black Transit van approached.
He said he signalled for the driver to stop, but the driver revved the engine, swerved towards him, and the wing mirror struck his right hand.
Garda Morgan told the court that he was not injured.
The court heard that gardaí activated the patrol car's blue lights and sirens and followed Spears, who crossed a solid white line and overtook another vehicle at speed.
It was further alleged that Spears overtook a bus on a continuous white line and took a blind corner in a dangerous manner before eventually stopping at the R132 at Courtlough, where he was arrested.
The court heard that Spears had eight previous convictions.
Defence solicitor Fiona D'Arcy said her client was pleading guilty but disputed parts of the evidence given by the garda.
Ms D'Arcy said her instructions were that the garda had slapped the van as it passed, and that her client had been stopped on a straight stretch of road rather than at a blind bend.
Counsel also said that Spears, a father of two, was caring for his elderly father and that both depended on his income.
The court heard that Spears works in maintenance and would lose his job as a result of the driving disqualification.