Man jailed for Garda crash deaths sentenced for motoring offences

A man previously imprisoned over a joyriding smash in which two gardaí were killed, has been given a suspended sentence for motoring offences.

Raymond Dowdall (30), who received an eight-year sentence and a 30-year driving ban in 2003, now works for a security company and is keen to avoid a return to custody, Dublin District Court heard on Monday.

Dowdall, of Galtymore Road, Drimnagh, was the driver of a stolen Mazda MX5 which hit a patrol car containing Garda Anthony Tighe (53) and Garda Michael Padden (27) on the Stillorgan dual carriageway in the early hours of April 14th, 2002. He was 16 at the time and had a number of prior convictions.

The father-of-one entered guilty pleas via his barrister to two motoring offences: driving without insurance and a licence, on July 13th last year at Galtymore Road.

Garda Marcus Regan, of Sundrive Road station, told Judge O'Donnell that Dowdall has 51 prior criminal convictions. He said the accused had four previous convictions for driving without insurance.

Plea for leniency

Judge O’Donnell noted the accused had been driving while disqualified when he committed his latest offence.

Garda Regan agreed with the defence that Dowdall, who did not address the court, had been co-operative and had not been driving dangerously.

In pleas for leniency, Judge O’Donnell was told that Dowdall had gone to his partner’s house and took her car after a row. He has a young child to care for and is apologetic, the court heard. Dowdall was willing to do community service, counsel added.

Judge O’Donnell noted that he has already served an eight-year sentence but added “it does not seem to have worked”.

He imposed a five-month jail sentence but suspended it on condition that Dowdall does not re-offend for the next two years. Fines totalling €750 were also imposed.