Men appeal bail refusal in cherry-picker criminal damage case

Two men plan to appeal their bail refusal to the High Court in the case involving widely shared videos of drunken men jumping around in the cage of cherry-picker being driven through Cork city centre.

The two men who face different charges arising out of the case appeared at Cork District Court last Tuesday by video link from prison.

Judge Mary Dorgan remanded them in custody until November 25, on the application of Sergeant John Kelleher to allow time for DPP directions.

They were refused bail at the district court the previous week but if they secure bail at the High Court before the adjourned date they must appear in Cork District Court in person on November 25.

Garda Paul McCarthy previously testified that the Mary Elmes Bridge in Cork city was damaged with portion of it crashing into the River Lee when the cherry-picker, or mechanical scissor lift, was driven on to the pedestrian bridge causing some of the bridge floor to crash into the River Lee.

“Pedestrians were left at risk of falling directly into the river as a result of this damage and it had to sealed off for public safety.”

Kyle Boyle, aged 31, was accused of causing this criminal damage, as well as damaging a metal bollard at Oliver Plunkett St and five counts of dangerous driving of this mechanical vehicle around the city.

Mr Boyle was represented by solicitor Eddie Burke.

Patrick Costin, aged 18, was charged with two counts arising out of the matter.

Garda McCarthy said of this defendant: “He was a willing and exuberant participant in this.”

Patrick Costin was charged with allowing himself to be carried in a stolen vehicle, namely the cherry-picker, and causing damage to the bollard at Oliver Plunkett Street. He was represented by solicitor Killian McCarthy.

The address for each defendant was given as Cork Simon Community.

Garda McCarthy gave an outline of the allegations in the case in the objection to bail being granted to both accused.

He said that at 8.20pm on Sunday, November 2, gardaí responded to a report of a theft of scissor-lift that was about to be collected and removed from St Patrick’s Quay.

He said keys were left in the ignition in one of the compartments of the cage so that it could be collected.

“It is alleged that on the quay and on roads and pedestrian footpaths along the centre of Cork City there was dangerous driving.

“This incident occurred at a time when both road and pedestrian traffic in the city centre was busy and the incident was captured on mobile phone cameras and shared on social media by multiple witnesses at different parts of the route. "

"The scissor-lift was brought to a stop by gardaí on South Gate Bridge where arrests were made.”