Donegal teenager charged with series of driving offences following cross-border chase

A 16-year-old from Inishowen, Co Donegal has been charged with a series of driving offences that a judge said were reminiscent of events in ‘Toronto, Barcelona and Westminster’ when drivers drove into crowds.
The youth who cannot be named, is charged with a series of offences including dangerous driving, driving while unfit and driving without insurance on April 28th.
Derry Magistrate’s Court was told today of how the PSNI were alerted by Gardai that a vehicle, a blue van, had failed to stop at Bridgend and was travelling in the direction of Derry City.
Police attempted to stop the vehicle on the Strand Road but the driver made off.
A chase ensued and the police attempted to stop the van before it crashed into the police vehicle causing minor injuries to two officers and made off again, mounting a pedestrian walkway along the River Foyle.
The youth was eventually arrested and charged.
District Judge Peter King said the driving was reminiscent of the incidents in various parts of the world and said it was ‘lucky no one was killed.’
He said that it was ‘absolute madness’ and added that he did not believe any bail conditions could guarantee it would not happen again.
The judge said Gardai were also keen to speak to the youth.
He has been remanded him in custody to appear at the next sitting of the Youth Court.