M50 motorist caught at almost twice speed limit during Garda bank holiday operation
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
A motorist was detected driving at almost double the speed limit on the M50 over the weekend.
The driver was clocked doing 188km/h in a 100km/h zone on the motorway near Templeogue. The detection was made as part of an extensive roads policing operation carried out by gardai between 7am on Thursday, May 29 and 7am on Tuesday, June 3.
One person sadly lost their life on the roads over the weekend while 14 serious collisions resulted in 14 people suffering severe and life-threatening injuries. Gardai manned more than 830 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) checkpoints over the weekend.
Over 4,000 breath tests and around 270 oral fluid tests were carried out, leading to 167 arrests for suspected driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Officers were also out in force to clamp down on speeding on the country's roads, with almost 3,000 drivers detected over the speed limit. These included:
99km/h in a 50km/h zone on R212 at Clones, Co. Monaghan
114km/h in a 60km/h zone on R147 at Dunboyne, Co. Meath
119km/h in a 80km/h zone on R148 at Broadford, Co. Kildare
Almost 500 vehicles were seized over the weekend. According to figures released by An Garda Siochana, 99 vehicles were seized from learner permit holders driving unaccompanied while a further 380 were seized for having no tax or insurance.
Hundreds of Fixed Charge Notices were also issued over the weekend. These were for offences including:
Using Mobile Phones – over 210
Unaccompanied learner drivers – over 215
No seatbelts – over 70
Commenting on the figures, a Garda spokesperson said: "An Garda Síochána continue to appeal to all road users to never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, to slow down and to always choose a speed that is appropriate to the driving conditions, to wear your seatbelt and keep your eyes always on the road."
Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Extra.ie
4 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Gardai to review Tina Satchwell and Michael Gaine investigations
The investigations into the murders of Tina Satchwell and Michael Gaine, whose bodies were not found during initial searches after their disappearance, will be reviewed. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said that 'in hindsight' it may have been 'very obvious' where Mrs Satchwell's remains were secretly buried. Mr Harris said a report will be compiled and given to Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan on Ms Satchwell's disappearance, while the case of Mr Gaine is undergoing a peer review. Tina Satchwell. Earlier this week, Richard Satchwell was given a life sentence for the murder of his wife Tina at their home in Co Cork. The British truck driver, 58, had denied murdering his wife between March 19 and 20, 2017. The jury at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin reached the unanimous verdict last Friday after nine hours and 28 minutes of deliberations. Pic: An Garda Síochána Missing Persons Ms Satchwell's skeletal remains were found buried under the stairs of the couple's home in Youghal, Co. Cork, in October 2023, more than six years after her husband reported her missing. The house had been searched in 2017 but nothing was found. In a separate case, the remains of Mr Gaine, a farmer from Co. Kerry, were discovered in a slurry tank on his farmland in May, two months after he was reported missing by his wife. The farmyard had been previously searched as part of the investigation. Tina Satchwell. Speaking about the investigation of Ms Satchwell's disappearance, Mr Harris said the 2017 search did 'harvest' some 'huge information', which was 'crucial' in the re-examination of the case. Speaking at the Garda College in Templemore, Co. Tipperary, he said: 'The initial investigation was hamstrung because of the lack of information in comparison to the later re-examination of this matter. 'There's far more information to hand, which gave us real grounds then for actual suspicion and then inquiries that we could lead. Michael (Mike) Gaine. Pic: '[In] hindsight, some of these things can seem very obvious, but in the moment, what was known, what was being said in terms of sighting, what was being said in terms of the victim by her husband, and one has to recognise the victimology that was being applied here. 'The coercive control that obviously she was subject to for many years, her isolation in that particular community, that meant that there was very few other people that we could speak to [about] what Tina Satchwell's life was like. 'Yes, the house was searched in 2017. Forensic scientists also accompanied that search. It was subject to thorough examination and looked for blood splatter. None was found.' He said the initial investigation will be subject to a review. 'There are definitely lessons that we wish to learn from all of these homicides, where it's missing persons and then converts some time later to a homicide investigation.' He added: 'We've already reviewed all our missing person reports nationally. We found no other suspected homicide cases. 'Then following the Michael Gaine investigation, we're subjecting that to peer review, as I do think there's learning for us around those who would commit crime and then attempt to dispose of the body, and often are successful in disposing of the body,' he added.
Irish Times
6 hours ago
- Irish Times
Carlow gunman tried to start fire in shopping centre, used gun stolen from legal owner
Evan Fitzgerald, who ended his own life after firing shots inside a Carlow shopping centre last weekend, used a shotgun that was legally registered to a person who lived close to him and from whom he stole the gun. Gardaí believe he was motivated by the desire to take his own life, perhaps engineering a situation requiring armed officers to open fire. The Irish Times has also learned the 22-year-old had attracted the attention of security guards at the Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow Town before the shooting began, at about 6.15pm last Sunday, as he was seen kneeling on the ground. It was unclear if he was praying or kneeling for another,reason. Mr Fitzgerald, who was described as 'vulnerable' by a source who had dealings with him, also tried to start a fire inside the shopping centre. READ MORE Though he was not successful in those efforts, gardaí believe he may have been trying to ignite a container of flammable liquid he had with him. [ Judge overseeing firearms case against Carlow gunman says court cannot overrule Garda consent to bail Opens in new window ] The liquid was a mix of alcohol and other combustible material. Gardaí were concerned about the container Mr Fitzgerald, from Portrushen, Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, was carrying. They requested assistance from a Defence Forces explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team to examine the container and make it safe if required. Mr Fitzgerald's remains were left at the scene until the EOD team arrived and carried out an eight hour examination before declaring the area safe. Though the liquid was not a viable explosive or incendiary device in the form it was found, it could have exploded if it came into contact with a raw flame. In the hours after the incident, a second Defence Forces EOD team was asked to examine a property linked to Mr Fitzgerald after gardaí had gone there to search it. Another batch of the same liquid was discovered, as well as a small amount of ammunition. The Defence Forces personnel examined that property in an operation lasting nine hours, until almost 6.30am on Monday. Once that private dwelling was declared safe, a Garda search took place there. Mr Fitzgerald, a former steel yard worker, was on bail at the time of his death as he had been charged last March with firearms and explosives offences. He was alleged to be in possession of two guns seized in Co Kildare; a G3 Heckler & Koch machine gun and a Remington M1911 handgun bought on the darknet. In a follow-up operation, involving a search at a property linked to Mr Fitzgerald, gardaí found powders used to make explosive devices and ammunition for a range of guns. He had a 'fascination' with firearms, said a Garda member who gave evidence when Mr Fitzgerald first appeared in court to face the charges last year. Several young men he was close to are believed to share his interest in guns. However, a number of friends of Mr Fitzgerald who have been spoken to as part of the investigation into last weekend's incident have told gardaí they were shocked by his actions.
Irish Times
10 hours ago
- Irish Times
‘I called him Dad': the Dublin scout leader and the men who accuse him of abuse
It was an incongruous sight on a sunny, quiet Sunday spring morning: a red van, crumpled at the front, jutting out on to a normally busy road in suburban south Dublin that had been closed by gardaí . The force of the impact with the old Norway Maple had crushed the front of the van on the driver's side; bark had been ripped from the tree. The damage to both van and tree gave an indication of how fast the vehicle had been travelling, in a 50km/h speed limit zone. The single-vehicle crash , which happened shortly after 6am on Sunday, April 7th, 2024 in Churchtown, claimed the life of the driver, the van's sole occupant. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Three hours later, the road was still closed as gardaí investigated how it happened. A garda at the tape cordon declined to speculate. The scene of the crash in which Neville Kearns died on April 7th, 2024 Within 48 hours it emerged that the driver, who was 69, had been due to stand trial the following day on 113 counts including charges of indecent assault, sexual assault, rape and attempted rape. They related to allegations made by five complainants dating back to the 1980s and 1990s. READ MORE The man's identity has never been publicly disclosed. His name was Neville Kearns. A number of men had provided statements to the Garda, lodging complaints that had led to his pending trial in the criminal courts. Kearns, of Edenvale Apartments, a gated apartment complex on Grange Road – not far from Marlay Park in Rathfarnham, south Dublin – was facing 71 counts of indecent assault, 27 of sexual assault, 13 of rape and two of attempted rape at the time of his death. The trial had been due to begin eight days before his 70th birthday. Edenvale Apartments, Rathfarnham, where Neville Kearns lived. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw On Monday, April 8th, 2024 the court was informed of Kearns's death; counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions told Mr Justice Paul McDermott, sitting at Dublin Central Criminal Court, that the DPP was entering a nolle prosequi – a decision to no longer prosecute. The court directed that the indictment be marked 'deceased'. The men concerned had been ready to go into the witness box to testify against Kearns and outline the abuse they claimed to have suffered at his hands. Today, three of them have decided to share their story publicly for the first time but wish to maintain their anonymity. They believe that being named could bring 'chaos' into their lives and those of their loved ones. Gardaí seal off the road in Churchtown following the crash in which Neville Kearns died last year 'I have children in college, an elderly mother to care for, bills to pay and a life to live,' one says. Now aged in their late 40s and 50s, the men allege that Kearns targeted, groomed and regularly sexually assaulted them as children. They say the alleged incidents took place in the 1980s and early 1990s, when they were aged between 10 and 15, and Kearns was in his 20s and 30s. Kearns denied the allegations. Kearns was a former member of the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland, as it was then known, and worked as a house master at St Joseph's School For Deaf Boys in Cabra, Dublin. He went on regular camping trips with boys. Many of these were not official scouting events, but the men say Kearns used his previous involvement in the organisation as a way to legitimise himself. In some cases, the alleged abuse also took place in the children's homes or in Kearns's family home. The men say they worked through decades of pain – and years of preparing for the prospect of a trial – only to have their chance at justice snatched from them 24 hours before they were due in court. 'The whole world fell apart really,' says Andrew*. 'It was the Sunday morning; the trial was the next morning, Monday. And I just knew – as soon as I saw the guard's name come up [on my phone] – I knew.' He knew Kearns was dead and the trial was never going to happen. Neville Kearns on a trip with scouts Andrew believes the location of the crash is significant; two of the men who claim Kearns abused them as children live in the area. He says he was 'absolutely terrified' in the weeks leading up to the trial date, knowing he would be 'quizzed' on the most traumatic thing that ever happened to him. 'It was something I had to do,' he says. 'My own son was the same age as I was at that stage. I could see myself in him as a kid. That drove me on.' His motivation in testifying was to get Kearns 'taken off the streets, and not let him have the opportunity to be in the company of kids'. Andrew had considered contacting the authorities about Kearns for some time, but didn't feel he could do so until his own parents had died: 'I absolutely couldn't do anything about it while they were still alive because they had entrusted this man so deeply. It would have broken their hearts.' Neville Kearns: Scouting Ireland says Kearns ceased to be a member of the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland in 1976 and later established an independent youth group He was considering what to do when, at his mother's wake, he received a text message. It was Kearns. 'It was the first time I'd heard from him in over 20-odd years, sending his commiserations,' Andrew says, pausing as he recalls it. 'The neck of him.' Receiving this message angered Andrew, but it solidified his decision to contact the authorities – first Tusla, then the Garda. He thought he was 'the only one in the world' who Kearns targeted but, in recent years, found out 'it was way bigger than I'd anticipated'. 'I was shocked, flabbergasted,' he says. Chris (not his real name), one of the men who made a complaint to the Garda about Neville Kearns. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw 'Chris' speaks about the Dublin scout leader who abused him Listen | 02:42 Over several years, Kearns befriended the boys and, crucially, their parents. 'Everybody adored him, everybody thought he was just this amazing man who gave so freely of his time for the local youth who were just hanging around all summer,' says Chris*, one of the men whose complaints led to the former scout leader's prosecution. 'He was a very charismatic, attractive, friendly, gentle man – that was his persona. It was just this kind, caring person that would happily look after your kids.' On a sunny afternoon, sitting in his livingroom, Chris recalls how the 1980s were 'a completely different time'. 'Everybody was a latchkey kid in the summer in Ireland,' he says, describing carefree days when children regularly went without adult supervision. Chris was raised by a single mother. Kearns became a mentor and, ultimately, a father figure. 'I called him Dad,' he says, adding that his mother was 'delighted' he had a positive male role model in his life. 'I called him dad': 'Chris' speaks about how he was groomed and abused by Neville Kearns Listen | 02:42 He doesn't believe he was abused because his mother was a single parent who worked outside the home to provide for her family. 'I was abused because he found a vulnerability in me and exploited it,' he says. Others allegedly abused by Kearns grew up with both parents or stay-at-home mothers, he recalls. Neville Kearns in his scout uniform Chris says he knew Kearns for about a year before anything inappropriate happened. By that stage, Chris trusted him 'completely'. 'It was letters first; I'd get little notes from him and he'd tell me how much he loved me,' he says. Over time, Chris says, Kearns started to become physical with him – ultimately forcing him to carry out sexual acts on a regular basis. At the height of the alleged abuse, he says, Kearns would frequently visit his house – unbeknown to Chris's mother – and assault him during the night. He would then 'hide under the bed until he could sneak out in the morning'. Chris describes the sexual acts perpetrated against him as 'horrific'. They had a 'profound impact' on his emotional state. 'He made me feel like I was the one who wanted it. It's very difficult to get past those emotions,' he says. 'I loved him as a father. I suppose that's why it all unwound for me as soon as I had kids. Fathers don't have sex with their children. What the hell was he doing?' Eileen Finnegan, a psychotherapist who helped Chris through intensive therapy, says the alleged grooming in this case is typical of predators; befriending boys and their families over a prolonged period of time so, when it finally happened, the abuse 'totally blindsided people'. 'The power and control and the level of grooming that he was able to do – he was absolutely systematic in what he was doing. He knew exactly what he was doing,' she says. Eileen Finnegan, psychotherapist and former clinical director of the charity One in Four. Photograph: Alan Betson Finnegan has extensively researched this area and previously served as the clinical director at One in Four, a charity that supports survivors of childhood sexual abuse. She says it is common for survivors of abuse to compartmentalise what happened to them – or block it out completely. 'For the mental wellbeing of the person, the brain actually comes in and splits off because it is so traumatic. It's a huge coping mechanism,' she says. [ View that child sex abuse is a thing of the past 'has allowed it to persist', says charity Opens in new window ] It is also relatively common for people not to disclose what happened to them until after their parents have died. Finnegan says survivors of abuse can find it difficult to tell their loved ones, especially parents, because it's usually them who welcomed the offenders into the family home. 'No child comes over with an adult and says: 'Mam and Dad, I'm after bringing a friend home for you.' It is mostly Mam and Dad there with a neighbour or friend or somebody that has begun to acquaint themselves with the family,' she says. Chris says that, while processing what had happened to him through therapy, he realised that it was unlikely he was the only one who had been targeted by Kearns. 'With the awful clarity of hindsight, I now look back at photographs from that time and I can identify the children [Kearns] likely targeted,' he says. The three men interviewed by The Irish Times say they were assaulted in numerous locations – often on camping trips. On several occasions, they claim, Kearns got them drunk on rum or port. Chris says the sexual acts perpetrated against him had a 'profound impact'. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw 'If I smell [rum] now, it makes me go somewhere, so I don't touch it,' says Michael*, another of those whose complaints led to the criminal prosecution being taken against Kearns. Michael says he was regularly abused on camping trips and at Kearns's house. On one occasion, he and other boys were visiting St Joseph's School For Deaf Boys in Cabra for a 'sleepover'. Kearns allegedly kept giving the boys mugs of rum. Michael got very drunk and remembers being carried out of the room. 'When I woke, it was in his private room. It still sends a shiver down my spine as to what happened that night,' he says. 'How many other boys, vulnerable boys, ended up there?' Becoming emotional, Michael says the abuse lasted for several years and he 'prayed' it would end. On multiple occasions as an adult, he 'pointed the car in the direction of Dundrum Garda station and started to drive'. 'But I never made it,' he says. In 2019, while sitting at home one evening, Michael told his wife what had happened to him as a child. 'I just blurted it out ... within an hour, we were at the Garda station,' he recalls. He didn't realise that, at around the same time, other men were also contacting the Garda or Tusla about Kearns. Ultimately, a case file was prepared for the office of the DPP, which agreed there was enough evidence to proceed with a trial. 'I categorically know that there are other men out there who have suffered at his hands but haven't come forward or, if they've come forward, they decided not to press charges,' Michael says. Whether they choose to contact gardaí or not, he adds, these men should seek support from a loved one or professional – if they feel ready to do so. Neville Kearns as a scout leader A spokesman for An Garda Síochána said the first statement of complaint they received about Kearns was made in May 2019. He was 'arrested and interviewed on several occasions' in relation to complaints made by five men, he added. 'Anyone who believes they may have been a victim or have knowledge of an alleged crime is encouraged to contact any Garda station,' the spokesman said. 'Victims can be assured that they will be supported and heard. An Garda Síochána will treat all reports sensitively and in confidence.' A spokeswoman for Scouting Ireland said that according to its records, Kearns ceased to be a member of the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland in 1976 and was not affiliated with any of the legacy scout organisations after that time. (The Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland and Scout Association of Ireland merged to form Scouting Ireland in 2004.) [ Embattled Scouting Ireland board 'exhausted' by infighting, review finds Opens in new window ] She noted that Kearns established an independent youth group 'which was not authorised by, or affiliated to, the legacy scouting organisations'. 'Individuals who were members of [this group], and believed it to have been an official scout group, came forward disclosing abuse to Scouting Ireland in 2019 and 2020,' she said. The spokeswoman said Scouting Ireland recognises the men's 'bravery in speaking out', adding that the organisation has paid for counselling services. 'We encourage any individual who experienced abuse while in scouting to report the matter to the appropriate authorities or to Scouting Ireland's safeguarding team.' Neville Kearns on a scouting trip St Joseph's School for Deaf Boys no longer exists. It amalgamated with St Mary's School for Deaf Girls to form a new school, Holy Family School for the Deaf, in 2016. A spokeswoman for the new school said it 'adheres rigorously' to child protection legislation and guidelines. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, said it cannot comment on individual cases but encouraged people to come forward if they needed support. As he reflects on the fact that a trial will now never take place, Chris says Kearns's death meant that 'he could just disappear into the footnotes of history without a trace'. Imagining what he would have said to Kearns in court, he says: 'You had the opportunity to face up to what you had done but you chose not to, and so you have left a despicable legacy of abuse over decades. How many more children did you violate? When did you stop? Did you stop? We will never know – that secret has gone to the grave with you, as your final act of cowardice.' Fourteen months on, pieces of shattered glass from Kearns's van still sit at the foot of the maple tree he crashed into in Churchtown. The men deprived of their day in court and the justice they sought will be picking up the pieces for years to come. * Names have been changed to protect the interviewees' identities ** Reporter Órla Ryan can be contacted at ** If you have been affected by anything in this story, please contact One in Four by e-mailing info@ or calling 01 66 24070; the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre's freephone 24-Hour National Helpline can be reached by calling 1800 77 8888 * If you have had a similar experience, you can share this using the form below.
