SILENCE OF THE GRAMS | 

Anthony Hopkins (20) threw bag of drugs from car as he sped away from gardai

Judge John Hughes found him guilty in his absence and issued a warrant for his arrest and sentencing.

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A dangerous driver threw a bag of cannabis from a car as he sped away from gardaí through busy streets, causing motorists to take “evasive action” to avoid head-on collisions.

Teachers were leaving schools and tram users returning from Luas stops when Anthony Hopkins (20) went on a road rampage as he tried to escape gardaí.

He failed to appear in court for his non-jury trial and Judge John Hughes found him guilty in his absence and issued a warrant for his arrest and sentencing.

Hopkins, of Kilkieran Road, Cabra, had pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving and possession of cannabis for sale or supply.

Detective Garda Padraic Brennan told Dublin District Court he was on duty at Dingle Road, Cabra, at 5.10pm on March 24, 2022, when he saw a Volkswagen Golf driving erratically on the wrong side of the road towards his patrol car.

The gardaí activated the flashing lights and siren and followed it. The Golf drove off at speed, making several turns and causing a number of vehicles to take evasive action. It “did a full loop” of the road before continuing at speed to Kilkieran Road.

Det Gda Brennan said he saw a blue plastic bag being thrown from the driver’s window. He followed the car on to Carnlough Road, which was busy with numerous vehicles and pedestrians.

The Golf was abandoned at the top of a cul-de-sac and the garda saw the accused, the only occupant, exit, running past him into the front garden of a house.

He climbed over a side gate and “made good his escape” through the back garden. Gda Brennan went back to Kilkieran Road to recover the blue plastic bag, which contained a “large amount of cannabis”.

Hopkins was seen crossing a road and running through the garden of another private residence, climbing a gate and cutting through more gardens. He was arrested as he exited at Liscannor Road and taken to Finglas garda station, where he made no comment when interviewed.

The cannabis was recovered two to three minutes after the garda saw it being thrown from the car and it was found to have a street value of €1,542.

Det Gda Brennan said the area where the dangerous driving happened was “extremely busy”.

There were two schools, which staff would have been leaving at the time.

Vehicles had to pull in to avoid head-on collision with the Golf, which drove on the wrong side of the road, through roundabouts without yielding.

Defence solicitor John ­Feaheny said he had no instructions to cross-examine the garda but applied for the case to be dismissed on a number of legal grounds.

Judge Hughes ruled against him, found the facts proven and issued a bench warrant.