Truck drivers in custody until Thursday

Three articulated truck drivers are spending two nights in custody at a Garda station after a member of the public complained about a YouTube video in which the men drove their trucks three-abreast along the main Limerick to Tralee road last October.

The men – two Polish and one Irish man, all employees of McAuliffe Trucking of Castleisland – pleaded guilty last week to dangerous driving in what District Court judge James O'Connor described as a "scandalous" and "outlandish incident, regardless of the charitable motive involved in the stunt".

Garda David Kearney of the Castleisland traffic division told how gardaí became aware of the incident of October 14th at 11.30am when a member of the public who saw the video on YouTube complained to the Garda national traffic bureau.

Krzysztof Sokolowski (33) of Main Street, Castleisland, Lorcan Regan (20) of Mein, Knocknagoshel, and Slawomir Kupiec (36) of Clonough Drive, Limerick Road, Castleisland each pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Dooneen, Castleisland.

Their solicitor Padraig O'Connell said they carried out the enterprise for charity, but admitted it could have been better organised.

Danger of imitation
Regardless of the charitable motive, the fact that this was placed on YouTube meant impressionable young people would be tempted to imitate it in their own vehicles, the judge said.

Judge O’Connor agreed to remand them overnight to Tralee Garda station to appear at the District Court in Tralee tomorrow .