It was a miracle no one was killed when a man drove at speeds of 115 m.p.h. in a stolen car, a judge declared yesterday as he jailed the man for 31/2 years for using the car without the permission of its owner.
Judge A.G. Murphy made his comments after hearing that Kenneth Hornibrook (21), from Knocknaheeny, Cork, repeatedly drove dangerously after ignoring Garda calls to stop while speeding around Knocknaheeny at 5 a.m. on August 11th last.
Garda Peter Haughney told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that Hornibrook hit speeds of 115 m.p.h. in a stolen Volkswagen Golf GTI and also drove through a roundabout and a junction on the incorrect side at around 90 m.p.h.
When gardai put on their siren and flashing blue light to try and get him to stop, Hornibrook increased speed. He drove down a cul-de-sac pursued by gardai but got away when he mounted the footpath and drove across a green.
He was finally caught when he tried to drive through a 20 m.p.h. traffic calming chicane at 115 m.p.h. and crashed. The car was badly damaged but Hornibrook was unhurt and was caught, i as he tried to flee, said Garda Haughney.
If it had happened later in the day, somebody would certainly have been seriously injured or killed, said Garda Haughney, adding that Hornibrook had previous convictions for driving stolen cars and was out on bail at the time.
Hornibrook wrote to Judge Murphy and pleaded for leniency, telling him he wanted to get his life together.
But Judge Murphy said it was an appalling offence and jailed Hornibrook for 3 1/2 years to start upon completion of his current jail term of 15 months. He agreed to review the sentence in 2000.