A 19-YEAR-OLD man, who died of injuries sustained when the car he was driving collided with a barrier, was being followed by gardaí in a high speed pursuit at the time, an inquest has heard.
The jury recommended that all members of the Garda Traffic Corps and Garda drivers receive specific training as to how and when to undertake a high speed chase.
The inquest heard that Paul Peel (19), of Coultry Road, Ballymun, Dublin, had sustained multiple injuries at Drumgora, Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, in the early hours of November 6th, 2009, when the car he was driving went out of control after it struck a car which it was overtaking.
The Garda Ombudsman Commission conducted an investigation into the circumstances of the death.
A file was sent to the DPP and no prosecutions were directed.
An officer with the ombudsman’s office Declan Farrell said they had not detected any breaches of the Garda Síochána code.
Dublin City Coroner’s Court heard that the car driven by Peel was being followed by two gardaí in a marked patrol car in a high-speed pursuit when the incident occurred.
The Garda car had activated blue lights and sirens at the time and had been following the car for about 10 kilometres.
Driver Garda Gary Lee and Garda James Traynor had begun following the car in the town of Virginia approximately 12 minutes earlier when they noted the car driving erratically and at speed.
“The manner of driving was extremely dangerous to other road users,” Garda Traynor said.