Man (39) pleads guilty to attempted murder of two gardaí

Paul Neilan

A man has pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court on Monday to the attempted murder of two gardaí at a siege and shoot-out in west Dublin last year, where two detectives were shot.

Daniel Goulding (39) of Whitechapel Grove, Clonsilla, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of two detective gardaí at his family home on May 25th, 2021.

The two detectives received non-fatal limb injuries to the feet and one to the hand during the incident which lasted for up to two hours.

Today at the Central Criminal Court, Goulding spoke only to answer "guilty" to both charges when read to him by the registrar.

Michael Bowman SC, for Goulding, said a psychiatric report on his client had only been received by the defence on Friday.

Mr Bowman also requested that a governor's report be prepared from Cloverhill Prison.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned the matter to November 21st.

At a previous hearing of the case, a court heard that Goulding had been receiving psychiatric treatment for several years.

In September of last year, Detective Sergeant Michael Redmond told Blanchardstown District Court that at around 7.40pm on the night, gardaí were alerted to an incident where gunshots were fired in the area of Whitechapel Grove.

Two detectives arrived at the scene and “almost immediately came under fire” from an upstairs bedroom of Mr Goulding’s home.

They then took cover behind an unmarked patrol car which was struck a number of times.

The detectives were shot in their left legs and one of them was struck in his left hand.

A Garda Armed Support Unit arrived with other units, including negotiators, and a number of homes were evacuated.

A barricade incident developed and after two hours of negotiations, firearms were surrendered from the house.

Det Sgt Redmond said members of the public were also exposed to the incident.

Goulding was originally charged with unlawful possession of two 63 PM RAK sub-machine guns with intent to endanger life, and unlawfully possessing a Makarov 9 mm pistol and 74 rounds of ammunition.

The media have been ordered not to report the names of the injured detectives.