Latest news with #Finglas
Irish Times
29-05-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Judge refuses bail for motorcyclist accused of knocking down drugs unit garda, causing him injury
A father of two accused of injuring a drugs unit garda by knocking him down with a 'high-powered' motorcycle in Dublin has been denied bail. Christopher Reynolds (24) was arrested after the officer suffered a leg injury in Finglas at about 5.45pm on Wednesday. Mr Reynolds appeared at Blanchardstown District Court on Thursday charged with assault causing harm, using a stolen vehicle, cocaine possession and having a screwdriver for use in a theft. Garda Declan Meehan told Judge Áine Clancy the accused man made no reply when charged. READ MORE Objecting to bail, Garda Meehan told the court Mr Reynolds was 'caught red-handed'. The officer said he and colleagues from the Finglas drugs unit were on patrol at the North Road, Dublin 11. They saw two motorbikes enter the forecourt of the Circle K service station. The court heard gardaí believed the motorbikes had been stolen. As they approached the motorbikes on foot, the two male drivers saw them and tried to drive out. Both motorbikes drove dangerously at Garda members in a bid to evade apprehension, the court heard. One of the motorbikes with two suspects on board escaped. A lone male driver on a high-powered motorbike 'drove directly' at a garda, colliding with him on the forecourt and causing him to fall to the ground, the court heard. He suffered a dislocated ankle, requiring medical treatment. The driver 'absconded' on foot and ran against oncoming traffic on the dual carriageway, the judge was told. Garda Meehan said he pursued on foot. Judge Clancy heard how Mr Reynolds was arrested at a Lidl supermarket. Garda Meehan said a further endangerment charge could be brought against Mr Reynolds, who did not address the court. Mark McMahon, defending, said his client could wait for more than two years for his trial. His said his client enjoyed the presumption of innocence and would obey any bail conditions, including a ban on driving any motor vehicle. Mr Reynolds, of Heatly Place, Malahide Road, Dublin 17, was on social welfare and was taking part in a CE scheme, the court heard. He has two young children. Judge Clancy said the accused was charged with very serious offences. Refusing bail was necessary to prevent the commission of further serious offences, she said. Mr Reynolds was granted legal aid and was remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on June 4th.
Irish Times
28-05-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Garda seriously injured after being struck by motorbike in Finglas
A garda has been taken to hospital after he was struck by a motorbike during a road traffic incident in Finglas, north Dublin. At around 5.45pm on Wednesday, while on a routine patrol, gardaí attached to the Finglas Drugs Unit observed two motorbikes – which were believed to have been stolen – at a petrol station on North Road. When gardaí approached them, the motorcyclists drove off and in the course of doing so struck a member of An Garda Síochána. The Garda, a man in his 30s, was taken to the city's Mater University Hospital for treatment of a serious but non-life-threatening injury. READ MORE A man aged in his 20s has since been arrested and was being detained at a Garda station in west Dublin. Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to come forward. Anyone who may have camera footage, including dashcam footage, from the North Road area of Finglas between 5.15pm and 6.15pm on Wednesday is asked to make this available to gardaí. In a separate incident on May 11th, Garda Kevin Flatley (49) died after being struck by a motorcyclist while carrying out a checkpoint near Lanestown, north Co Dublin. The motorcyclist involved in this incident, a man aged in his 30s, was treated in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, for serious injuries.
BreakingNews.ie
28-05-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Garda left with serious leg injuries after getting knocked down by stolen motorbike
A garda has suffered serious leg injuries after he was knocked down by a stolen motorbike in Dublin. The incident happened in the Finglas area at about 5.45pm on Wednesday. Advertisement The garda, who is in his 30s, was struck by the vehicle as it drove off from a petrol station on the North Road. He was taken to the Mater Hospital for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries. A man in his 20s has been arrested and is currently detained at a Garda station in West Dublin. Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to the incident to come forward. Anyone with any information can contact Finglas Garda Station on 01 666 7500, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.
Irish Times
26-05-2025
- Irish Times
Stabbed man's partner witnessed his death in incident ‘so brutal and cruel'
The partner of a man who was stabbed to death two years ago has said that she witnessed his life being taken 'in a way that no human being deserved'. Keith Smithers (41) and Peter White (40) had pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing and robbery of Brian Hogan on January 13th, 2023, at Collins Place in Finglas. Smithers, of Barry Close, Finglas, Dublin 11, was convicted on both charges following a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, while White, of Casement Drive, Finglas, was acquitted of the unlawful killing of Mr Hogan, but was convicted of robbing him. Smithers has just over 90 previous convictions, including offences for criminal damage, drugs, possession of knives and handling stolen property, while White has 264 previous convictions, including offences for assault causing harm, robbery, theft, drugs and road traffic offences. READ MORE On Monday, Smithers was handed a global sentence of nine years, while White was jailed for four and a half years for robbery. Lyndsey Doyle's victim impact statement was read into the record during the sentencing hearing. Ms Doyle was with Mr Hogan that evening when they went to a house where Smithers and White were over a dispute about Mr Hogan's phone. The court heard he had given it to the men as security for a rock of cocaine the previous day. Ms Doyle was pregnant at the time with the couple's daughter. Ms Doyle said in her statement she witnessed Mr Hogan's 'life being taken so brutal and cruel in a way no human being deserved'. She said 'it will haunt me', and said he has left behind a broken family, referring to Mr Hogan's elderly father 'who is lost without him', as Mr Hogan had been his carer. Ms Doyle said her daughter will grow up without a father, who would have adored her as he adored his older son. Mr Hogan has an older son from a different relationship. She said Mr Hogan's death has 'left a huge void' in all their lives. She described him as 'a well-liked, decent fella' who did not deserve the end he got. Ms Doyle concluded her statement by thanking Sgt Shane Behan for helping them 'getting justice for Brian and knowing that his life mattered'. She said she hopes Mr Hogan rests in peace now. Judge Martin Nolan said the events which led to this prosecution were 'serious', adding that 'unfortunately a man died' on this date. He said there was 'little formal mitigation' for either of the defendants, and noted they both had a record of previous convictions. The judge said he had considered Smithers's background, his history of addiction and the contents of letters submitted by extended family. Judge Nolan said the court was of the view that Smithers was remorseful for his actions, which was 'a small level of mitigation'. He handed Smithers a sentence of nine years for manslaughter and a concurrent sentence of four and a half years on the robbery charge. In relation to White, the judge said the context of the robbery was 'quite serious' and imposed a sentence of four and a half years. The judge directed the men should receive credit for any time served in custody on these matters alone and granted a defence application to extend legal aid in the event of an appeal.
BreakingNews.ie
26-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Woman (29) jailed for setting her neighbour's car on fire
A woman who set her neighbour's car on fire after googling how to make an improvised pipe bomb has been jailed for a year. Tammy O'Connor (29) with an address at Craigie Court, Finglas, Dublin 11 pleaded guilty to charges of criminal damage, arson and theft at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Advertisement The court heard that the injured party, who works as a taxi driver, went to his car to start work at 1:30 am on July 4th, 2023 when he noticed the front passenger window had been smashed and the rear tyres slashed. The coin tray containing €100 and a dash cam were taken, with €300 worth of damage caused. Two weeks later, on July 28th, 2023, the injured party was at home when he heard the apartment block's fire alarm go off. He ran outside and saw smoke coming from the underground car park. He recognised a car alarm going off as his own. He saw the passenger side window of his car had been smashed and the interior was on fire. Advertisement Dublin Fire Brigade and the gardaí were called. The car had to be written off. CCTV from both dates was obtained by gardaí, and O'Connor was identified from the footage. The injured party indicated to gardaí that there had been issues between them and he had to report her to the housing authority. When arrested, O'Connor made full admissions. She said something had come into her head that day, and she googled how to make a homemade pipe bomb. Advertisement She admitted to smashing the window and throwing the improvised device into the car. She told gardaí that she received an eviction notice from the housing authority following the complaint made by the injured party. O'Connor has 16 previous convictions, all District Court matters, including for public order offences and theft. The investigating garda agreed with Mark McMahon BL, defending, that O'Connor told gardaí she was under stress and was not thinking clearly after receiving the eviction notice. It was further accepted that O'Connor has addiction issues and mental health difficulties. The garda also agreed that a letter of apology had been given to the injured party. Advertisement Reading his victim impact statement to the court, the injured party said he had 'looked after' O'Connor and her family after they moved, providing them with food and furniture. He said he helped them, but one night he heard his front door being kicked and when he went out, it was O'Connor. He said when O'Connor was drunk, she was kicking and banging on his door. He asked her not to do it outside his door, but then had to contact the housing authority. He said double locks and panic alarms were installed in his property, along with CCTV on his balcony in the wake of these incidents. Advertisement He said he worried for his partner while he was at work. The injured party said he faced losses to replace the car and equipment. Mr McMahon outlined his client's background to the court. O'Connor has mental health difficulties, including depression and anxiety when she was a teenager, which led her down the path of addiction. Counsel said O'Connor spent time in hospital due to drug-induced psychosis. Mr McMahon said that his client has no real explanation for her actions. She saw the eviction notice, realised she had no one else to blame then took 'very serious and dangerous actions' to set the car alight, counsel said. He said O'Connor is extremely remorseful and apologetic, but is not in a financial position to offer compensation. She has one child and is doing well in custody. After hearing the facts, Judge Elva Duffy said at an earlier hearing that the offence involved a 'significant degree of recklessness' and 'everybody is lucky it was not a significantly worse offence than it is'. She noted the impact on the injured party, who had 'started out as a good neighbour', but 'couldn't sit back and take it in his home' when O'Connor's behaviour became challenging. Sentencing O'Connor on Monday, Judge Duffy said there was some suggestion that her actions were 'acts of retaliation or revenge' for events in which she had felt wronged herself. The judge acknowledged that O'Connor has difficulties in terms of tablet misuse and her mental health. Ireland Man pleads guilty to the manslaughter of chef in C... Read More She said she had a limited capacity to understand the 'potentially hugely serious consequences of her actions' referring to the fact that the fire was set in the carpark of an apartment building. Judge Duffy accepted that O'Connor is 'open and honest' about her situation and further accepted that she is willing to engage with the Probation Service. 'She is vulnerable but the issues before the court are serious,' Judge Duffy said before she sentenced O'Connor to two and a half years in prison. She suspended the final 18 months of the term on strict conditions, including that she engages with the Probation Service for 18 months upon her ultimate release from prison.
