Three charged after stolen BMW rams Garda car in Cork, one remanded in custody

A 19-year-old and two 14-year-olds appeared before Clonakilty District Court after a stolen BMW X5 rammed a patrol car in Belgooly, Co Cork.

Stolen BMW rams Garda car in Belgooly; three face charges at Cork court

A 19-year-old man was remanded in custody and two juveniles were released on bail after a stolen BMW X5 allegedly rammed a Garda patrol car in the Belgooly area of Co Cork, the Irish Times reports.

Wayne Daly (19), of Farm Lawn, Manor Farm, Lehenaghmore, Cork, and two 14-year-olds who cannot be named due to their age, appeared before a special sitting of Clonakilty District Court on Tuesday. All three were charged with allowing themselves to be carried in a stolen vehicle knowing it to be stolen, contrary to Section 112 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, at Ballinaboy, Ballinhassig, Co Cork on 25 August.

The BMW X5 was taken from a property in Rochestown, Cork city, at some point between 9.30pm on 24 August and 3.30am on 25 August. Gardaí from Kinsale were searching for the vehicle when it emerged from a housing estate in Belgooly, struck the patrol car and drove off. Officers from the Armed Support Unit were deployed to assist uniformed colleagues. A stinger device was subsequently used to bring the car to a halt at Ballinaboy, Ballinhassig, where Daly was observed fleeing the scene.

Det Gda Neil Ryan of Bandon Garda station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in respect of Daly and told the court Daly made no reply to the charge. Gardaí objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the charge and concern that he would commit further offences.

Daly, who was unrepresented in court but confirmed he had spoken to a solicitor, applied for bail. "I promise nothing like this is going to happen again – I've seen what happened and I don't want to go this road," he told the court, adding that he had recently found employment and wanted to move on after previously "hanging around with the wrong people."

Judge Brendan O'Reilly noted that Daly was at a disadvantage without legal representation. He remanded him in custody with consent to bail to appear again at Clonakilty District Court on 27 August, after Daly said he was unable to meet his own bond of €100 or secure an independent surety of €1,000.

Should bail be taken up, the judge imposed a number of conditions: Daly must reside at his home address, observe a 10pm to 6am curfew, provide gardaí with a mobile phone number at which he can be contacted at all times, sign on daily at Togher Garda station, and stay out of west Cork.

Gardaí did not oppose bail for the two juveniles, who were accompanied in court by their parents. The judge remanded both on similar bail terms, directing them to appear at Bandon District Court on 11 September, when juvenile cases are scheduled for hearing. Both were also required to stay out of west Cork — a condition the judge explained in practical terms, specifying the viaduct on the Cork-Bandon Road, Five Mile on the Cork-Kinsale Road, and the Ovens Bar on the Cork-Macroom Road as the relevant boundaries.

A fourth teenager, also a juvenile, who was arrested at Ballinhassig, was released without charge.

Source: Irish Times