THE case of a teenager arrested regarding a 40-minute car chase in west Dublin in January which involved numerous patrol cars and the Garda helicopter, has been struck out after a court heard that the defendant has since died.
The 16-year-old boy had been charged at the Children’s Court earlier with the theft of a 4X4 in the Clondalkin area in the early hours of January 19th last.
On April 20th last, he had been remanded on bail until yesterday for him to be served with a book of evidence.
Garda John Walsh told Judge Ann Ryan yesterday that the defendant has since died.
The cause of death was not stated.
However, in striking out the case, Judge Ryan said: “He was only 16, sympathies are to go to his family.”
The boy also faced four counts of dangerous driving, driving without a licence and insurance, failing to stop for gardaí and possession of a quantity of cannabis for his own use.
Earlier Garda Walsh, of Blanchardstown station, had told the court the car chase lasted 40 minutes and the boy was the sole occupant of the car.
During the chase there were numerous counts of dangerous driving and three traffic incidents, the court was told.
The Garda helicopter and 40 to 50 patrol cars had been involved in the chase, the court had heard previously.
When the boy was first brought to court in January in connection with the alleged incident, his mother had said: “I saw the chase last night and my nerves were gone. I got a feeling it was him.”
Her son, she said, had received a telephone call at about 2am from a “so-called friend, obviously they are after running and leaving him, he should have known better though”.