Man who escaped custody and drove with Garda on bonnet of car has sentence increase

A man who escaped from custody and drove away in his car with a garda on the bonnet, before driving through a funeral procession, “smashing” through a level crossing and driving against oncoming traffic on a motorway, has had his 18-month jail term doubled following a successful appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

On July 19th, 2011, while being taken in custody by Garda Caithriona O'Malley from the courthouse in Roscommon town, Ovi Diu Rostas (22) overpowered his Garda escort and escaped.

Deception
Rostas had been before Roscommon District Court to receive an 18-month custodial sentence and a disqualification from driving for two years for obtaining services by deception.

In March last year Rostas, originally from Romania but with an address in Tallaght, Dublin, was jailed for 18 months at Roscommon Circuit Criminal Court for endangerment, endangering traffic and escaping from lawful custody.

Chief Justice Susan Denham yesterday said the Court of Criminal Appeal noted his youth and guilty plea, but considered the appropriate sentence to be one of five years with two years suspended.

Philipp Rahn, for the DPP, said Rostas had 29 previous convictions, including for dangerous driving and being disqualified from driving while committing these offences.