Kilkenny driver jailed after high speed garda chase

A combined jail sentence of 12 months has been handed down to a Kilkenny motorist who was convicted of a series of road traffic offences, including dangerous driving, after leading gardaí on a high speed chase out of the city.

Anthony Jackman, 4 St Mary’s Crescent, Hebron Road, pleaded guilty to a number of charges, his solicitor admitting ‘his goose is cooked’.

On June 7, 2024, at the Old Dublin Road, a garda observed Mr Jackman using a mobile phone while driving. The garda signalled to Mr Jackman to pull over and he did.

Charges of holding a mobile phone while driving, driving without insurance and without a licence followed this incident.
On September 27, 2024, at St Mary’s Halting site, a garda observed Mr Jackman, who he knew to be disqualified from driving, driving a vehicle.

Took off at speed
The garda turned to follow Mr Jackman, who took off at speed. He pulled into the halting site and stopped in front of his house.
He was charged with not having insurance or a driving licence.

On April 27, 2024, at 5.40pm, Garda Andrew Neill observed Mr Jackman driving a Peugeot with an 18 month old child in the front passenger seat. The child was only secured with a waist strap from an adult seatbelt.

Mr Jackman was instructed to pull in, instead he did a three-point turn and ‘took off’. The garda was on bicycle patrol.
Mr Jackman sped through a pedestrian crossing, despite a person being on it, and then ran a red traffic light.
He was charged with careless driving for this incident.

On February 21, 2024, Inspector Paul Donohue was on patrol in an unmarked garda car, just before 4pm, when he observed Mr Jackman driving on Hebron Road. He was talking on a mobile phone.

Inspector Donohue followed Mr Jackman as he drove into St Mary’s Crescent. He denied holding a phone. A fixed charge penalty was paid but Mr Jackman failed to produce insurance following this. Click NEXT to continue reading the evidence.