Cork car thief jailed for deliberately ramming Deliveroo worker who suffered broken leg
Judge Sinead Behan said the endangerment of the life of this young Brazilian man must have been a terrifying and extremely painful experience for him.
27-year-old Adrian Long was jailed for a total of three years for this endangerment and other crimes carried out in a violent escapade of offences carried out on the one day in October last year.
Judge Behan said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court: 'This young man was going about his work. He came to the attention of Adrian Long and his companion. They pursued him at speed. They threw things at him.
They rear-ended him on his motorbike. It must have been a terrifying experience. He showed huge courage (when taken on by the two men) that he punched the co-accused.
'But afterwards they knocked him off his bike. Their vehicle came in contact with him and broke his leg. Mr Long admitted his part in relation to that.
'The Deliveroo driver was left with his bone protruding from his leg. It must have been very painful and very frightening. Motorbikes are vulnerable machines. He was left with very serious injuries requiring surgery. That offence was intentionally carried out.
'I am told he (the defendant) was heavily addicted at the time and only has a fragmented recollection – he expressed remorse. He has undiagnosed mental health issues and a significant criminal record.'
Judge Behan imposed an overall sentence of four years with the last year suspended. A driving disqualification of 15 years was also imposed on him.
27-year-old Adrian Long of 14 Willowbank, Upper Fair Hill, Cork, pleaded guilty to charges of causing criminal damage, theft, attempted theft, driving a stolen car and assault causing harm to a member of An Garda Síochána and endangerment in respect of the moped ramming.
Emmet Boyle, defence barrister, said Mr Long had mental health issues and showed genuine remorse. He said these offences occurred despite efforts made by his parents to bring him to his GP a short time before this in order to get help for his issues.
List of offences
Detective Garda Mark Durcan said that a jeep-type vehicle was stolen on October 21, 2024, at Courtbrack, Blarney, and that on October 31 Adrian Long and his accomplice went on a rampage in it.
Det. Garda Durcan said Mr Long stole items from a vehicle in Whitethorn Avenue in Ballincollig after the window of the vehicle had been broken. Bank cards stolen from Woodbine in Ballincollig were late used in Hollyhill. Binoculars were also stolen.
After 6am a car parked at Ballyhooley Road was smashed in an attempt to get into it. By 10am two men entered Tesco in Mallow to buy a bottle of Southern Comfort but it was too early to sell alcohol, in terms of licensing laws. They threw €50 on the counter and left with it.
There was a break-in to a car at Woodville, Glanmire, at around 10.45pm. Ten minutes later in Little Island an off-duty member of An Garda Síochána observed two men trying cars. One of them was sitting in a Ford Focus outside a house when the member approached and identified himself as being a garda.
'A struggle ensued and he received a number of blows to the body and face from Mr Long. He was unable to attend work for a number of days due to his injuries.
'A Deliveroo driver was knocked off his moped in Blackrock and received serious leg injuries. Later, on the north side of Cork City the jeep took off at speed when gardaí indicated for it to stop.
"The vehicle rammed the garda car on two occasions in the Mallow Road area of Cork. The garda car was too damaged to continue before the stolen car was driven to Carrignavar where it was later found burned out. The loss to the owner was around €15,000,' Det. Garda Durcan said.
As well as all of that, a couple who were leaving home for an early flight from Cork Airport saw the two men trying to break into a car. They began to video the two men and Adrian Long became threatening to the couple and smashed a window of their vehicle.
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