Garda rammed with stolen farm jeep thought he was ‘going to be killed’

Judge Keenan Johnson heard evidence for two hours in the case of Gerard McInerney (39) of 30 Woodbrook Close, Mountrath; Thomas McInerney (40) of 22 Twomey Park, Mountmellick; and William McInerney (37) of 22 Newline Close, Mountrath.

Garda Chief Superintendent John Scanlon told the court that local detectives backed up by the force’s air support unit, national surveillance unit and armed response unit had been monitoring a stolen Mitsubishi crew-cab jeep and trailer they had found hidden in a bog at Cloncourse, a “remote area” near Mountrath.

The jeep, trailer and tools found in them have since been traced to burglaries at various farms in the midlands in previous weeks and the three men have pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property and illegally taking a vehicle.

The garda vehicle was rammed into another garda vehicle as the driver of the jeep attempted to escape

Late on the night of 11 July 2016, gardaí saw men hitch the trailer to the jeep and drive off, at which point Chief Supt Scanlon said garda vehicles blocked the escape route and the first in line, a Volvo SUV from the armed response unit, turned on its blue lights.

“The garda vehicle was rammed into another garda vehicle as the driver of the jeep attempted to escape,” the officer said. “It was a crew cab with bull bars – essentially an agricultural vehicle. It wasn’t in a position to go past the third garda vehicle.”

Stolen jeep ‘embedded in a ditch’

At that point, the stolen jeep was “embedded in a ditch” and its three occupants ran away, Chief Supt Scanlon said, adding that it, the Volvo SUV and a patrol car were written off in the crash. Prosecutor Will Fennelly told the court that William McInerney was arrested first.

Thomas McInerney, who was “established to be the driver,” “fled through a farmyard and hid behind a wall” before being found; while Gerard McInerney also fled through the farmyard and “hid under a plastic bag with a balaclava in his possession” until his arrest.

This is the most terrifying incident I was ever exposed to

In victim impact statements read by the prosecution, three gardaí said they had suffered injuries. “This is the most terrifying incident I was ever exposed to,” said Vincent O’Brien of the armed response unit, who received back injuries. “I was convinced I was going to be run over. I believed I was going to be killed,” he said.

Detective Garda Eoin Maher, who suffered neck, shoulder and back injuries, has been on sick leave since the incident, said Chief Supt Scanlon. Detective Maher now uses a walking stick and had to leave his hurling club, he added. Another member of the force identified as Sgt O’Boyle received fractures in his leg and hand but refused to take time off work, Chief Supt Scanlon said.

Plea agreement

Gerard McInerney has 20 prior convictions, his brother Thomas 10 and their cousin William 13, the court heard.

Defence counsels for the three accused stressed that they were charged for possession of stolen property and illegally taking a vehicle only, under their guilty plea agreement with the prosecution. This means they cannot be sentenced for other offences such as endangerment, the defence said.

The three men, who appeared in court in jackets and one of them in a tie, were also presented by their lawyers as fathers with family duties who had gained access to the enhanced detention regime and found employment while in detention.

Their friends and relatives were present in the audience and gardaí formed a cordon to keep them away from the accused as the three men were escorted out at the end of the hearing, each chained to a prison officer.

’Serious charges with serious consequences’

Judge Johnson said he would impose “fair and proportionate sentences” after examining all the evidence submitted, adding: “These are serious charges with serious consequences for the gardaí involved.”

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