When shopkeeper accused his wife of thieving she led gardai on a 100kph chase

Mother-of-two Nadia Massoune (28) narrowly avoided colliding with a cyclist and ran over two parking meters before being forced to stop by pursuing officers.

A judge banned her from driving for four years, describing her driving as "outrageous" and telling her she was lucky nobody was killed.

Massoune, of Belgrove Park, Mount Prospect Lawns, Clontarf, admitted five counts of dangerous driving in the incident near her home.

Flashing

Judge Catherine Staines only convicted her of two of the charges, saying it had been a continuous incident.

The accused was also fined €600.

Dublin District Court heard gardai were driving near the accused's home on August 6 this year when they saw her car reverse out of the driveway. She failed to stop at a stop sign as she turned onto Mount Prospect Avenue, then drove off.

She failed to stop again at a pedestrian crossing, while driving over speed bumps. There were cars parked on either side of the road and a group of 10 to 12 teenagers in the vicinity.

She went through red traffic lights, narrowly missing a cyclist.

At all times, she was driving at speeds of around 100kph, with gardai pursuing with their flashing lights and siren activated.

She mounted a footpath and drove over two meters, then was finally forcibly stopped by the gardai who had to drive in front of her, blocking her off.

She was arrested and brought to Clontarf Garda Station and was charged.

The accused's husband owns the Shop 'N' Go in Artane, Dublin, and on the day he had tried to have her charged over the alleged theft from the store, her barrister Keith Spencer said.

She had taken bleach and other household items, her husband confronted her and there had been an argument.

She became incensed and went off, then saw the gardai and panicked because she thought they were there "in relation to the earlier incident".

This led to the "catalogue of atrocious driving" which she regretted, Mr Spencer said.

"She apologises to anyone who may have been endangered by her actions," he added.

The court heard the defendant had come to Ireland in 2002 and married in 2007.

Depression

She had suffered badly from post-natal depression after the birth of her children. She had also attended an anger management course.

She was no longer living with her husband but they were speaking and he was supporting her.

Judge Staines said she was taking into account the fact that the defendant had no previous convictions and struck out three of the charges.

"This driving was outrageous and she is very lucky somebody wasn't injured or killed", the judge said.

aphelan@herald.ie