Car used as 'weapon' against gardai

A disqualified driver was jailed for 15 months after he crashed into two unmarked garda vehicles outside Nenagh.

Nenagh District Court heard that members of the Garda Divisional Drugs Unit were on patrol in Thurles on March 31 last when their attention was drawn to a white Audi A6.

They followed the car in two unmarked vehicles in the direction of Nenagh.

The Audi turned left to head for Dolla and the gardaí activated blue lights as a signal for the driver to stop. One of the garda cars moved in front of the Audi.

The driver of the Audi, a female, attempted to drive around it but then came to an abrupt stop.

A passenger in her car, Robert Maxwell (32) of Ballygraigue Court, Nenagh, got out and swapped seats with the driver.

He reversed her car into the garda vehicle behind them, then accelerated into the vehicle in front in order to push it out of the way.

The gardaí, who had tried to alight from their vehicles, had to take evasive action. Mr Maxwell drove off at speed.

€2,000 OF DAMAGE

The court heard that the damage caused amounted to €2,000. Mr Maxwell, who was serving a driving ban at the time, had 53 previous convictions for offences including violent disorder, endangerment, affray, assault causing harm, threatening behaviour, dangerous driving, and driving under the influence of an intoxicant. He had been released from prison only a month previous to the offence in question.

Solicitor Elizabeth McKeever said the defendant had been involved in a feud with a family in Nenagh. His explanation for his actions was that he thought the gardaí who tried to stop him were members of that family. He was with his partner at the time and the car belonged to her.

Ms McKeever outlined the defendant’s difficult childhood and said he had been in trouble from a young age. He had a serious alcohol addiction and had sought the help of an implant to prevent him from drinking

A child of his died had died tragically while Mr Maxwell was serving a prison sentence. His partner was expecting a baby in December. He had been in custody since last May.

‘DELIBERATE AND ORCHESTRATED ATTEMPT’

Judge Marie Keane found it difficult to believe that Mr Maxwell did not recognise the gardaí he encountered that day.

It was “not credible” that he believed them to be someone else.

“He made a deliberate and orchestrated attempt to evade the gardaí,” Judge Keane commented, adding that the vehicle he was in was “used by Mr Maxwell as a weapon intended to cause harm”.

Judge Keane imposed prison sentences totalling 15 months, backdated to May 18. Mr Maxwell was also disqualified from driving for 10 years.