Dublin man hijacks car to get to court 'less than a mile away'

A youth with 62 previous convictions who hijacked a car so he could get to court has been jailed for 18 months today.

A youth with 62 previous convictions who hijacked a car so he could get to court has been jailed for 18 months today.

Darren Farrell (aged 19) of Montpelier Garden, Dublin found the car he had been using had been clamped so he threatened a 12-year-old boy who had been left sitting in another car.

Farrell pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to hijacking the car at Main Street Blanchardstown on December 21, 2010.

It was one of only a handful of cases that were heard in the Courts of Criminal Justice today as a result of industrial action by some lawyers.

Garda Martina Drew told prosecuting counsel, Mr Pieter Le Vert BL, that Catherine Buckley had parked her car on the main street of Blanchardstown and her 12-year-old son stayed in the car as she went to carry out some errands. She left the keys in the ignition and her son locked the doors.

Gda Drew said Farrell and his brother Michael, who were on their way to the Blanchardstown District Court in a Nissan Micra, had parked that car on the main street and came back to find it clamped.

When Ms Buckley’s son pulled down his window to tell them that it had just recently been clamped Farrell reached into the passenger window and opened the door lock.

He told the boy to get out or he would “batter” him and the two brothers drove off in the car.

Shortly afterwards they were spotted running from the car into the nearby court house, which was “less than a mile away”, Gda Drew said.

After he was arrested, Farrell admitted to taking the car but denied threatening the victim.

He said he estimated the boy was between ten and 12 and told gardaí: “I’d hardly threaten a young fella”.

The court heard the victim was left traumatised and depressed as a result of the incident and that his sense of safety was destroyed.

Gda Drew said Farrell has 62 previous convictions, including theft, assault, stealing a car, damaging property, possession of drugs and threatening and abusive behaviour.

Judge Martin Nolan said Farrell seemed to be on “an escapade of crime” and he sentenced him to three years in prison but suspended the last 18 months.

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