Garda helicopter called in to help stop joyriders between Sallins and Clane

A 20-year-old man was banned from driving for five years and ordered to carry out 240 hours of community service after he was convicted of his role in a high-speed chase.

Gardai said the defendant was behind the wheel of a Volvo car carrying two others which failed to stop between Sallins and Clane in September last year.

The 2003-registered car reached speeds of up to 150km per hour at times.

Naas District Court heard oncoming cars had to swerve out of the way to avoid collisions.

At one stage the joyrider's car went the wrong way around a roundabout in Clane.

Gardai had to call in other patrol cars and the Garda helicopter to help to intercept the high-speed vehicle.

The occupants of the car including the driver were eventually arrested by gardai following a foot chase in fields off the Clane-Maynooth road.