Man pleads guilty over ‘rampage’ incident in which garda cars were rammed

The man accused of endangering life and other charges arising out of the ramming of Garda cars in Cork during a prolonged escapade last September pleaded guilty to 12 counts against him today.

For legal reasons, there is still a prohibition against identifying the 35-year-old motorist. Judge Helen Boyle adjourned the case until June 13 for a legal application related to the case and it is anticipated that the matter may be further adjourned to a later date for sentencing.

Evidence was previously given when the accused was first arrested that it was a protracted incident involving the ramming of six Garda cars by the driver of a van that was carrying others at the time.

Garda Paul Dromey testified previously that after 9pm on September 28, Garda units from Cork City, including the Armed Response Unit, went to Mahon Point and observed this van travelling on the dual-carriageway, exiting to Mahon Point shopping centre. Blue lights and siren were activated by the Armed Support Unit but the driver failed to stop.

“The vehicle rammed the Armed Support Unit car. Gardaí tried to extricate the male driver but he rammed the Armed Support Unit again. The van proceeded at speed to the slip road, going the wrong way down the slip road.

“Two other Garda vehicles tried to stop it but the van rammed these two vehicles as well,” Garda Dromey said.

The van was driven towards Ringaskiddy but turned back at Shanbally towards Cork City going the wrong way around a roundabout against oncoming traffic.

It was only with the use of a stinger vehicle-disabling device that that van was eventually stopped at Carr’s Hill, after ramming six garda vehicles during what Garda Dromey described as a rampage.