Gardai 'hosed down' during tense showdown amid angry scenes outside Limerick home

A DETECTIVE garda had a hose turned on him when a large crowd became “aggressive” as he attempted to seize a high-powered vehicle from a property in Ballinacurra Weston, a court has heard.

Details of the incident were outlined by Det Garda Declan O’Halloran who opposed Joanne Mitchell’s application seeking the return of her 2008-registered Range Rover, which was seized following a high-speed pursuit.

In the lead up to the incident on April 10, the garda said he “locked eyes” on a man while driving near a statue of the Virgin Mary – known locally as “the grotto” at Crecora Avenue.

“Immediately upon seeing me I could see panic in his face. On seeing the gardaí, the jeep sped up and drove to Hyde Avenue,” the detective told the court.

He said what followed was a high-speed pursuit that involved dangerous driving.

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He told Judge Carol Anne Coolican the Range Rover was driven towards the garda vehicle and that it swerved erratically and turned at high speed.

Having evaded capture, the Range Rover ended up parked in front of a property at Carina Avenue.

Here, over 40 “aggressive” people congregated – some of whom obstructed gardaí from entering the house to seize the vehicle.

Detective Garda O’Halloran said he is familiar with the property and “was aware there would be resistance”. He described how he and his colleagues were met with a “hostile situation” which required “more robust interventions” by gardaí, including significant additional resources.

There was “a tension present” in the area as gardaí tried to gain access to the vehicle – which was intermittently locked and unlocked.

“I asked for keys many times,” said the detective who added that the man who was driving the Range Rover was “in and out of the house”.

The driver also taunted the garda saying: “You s*** yourself when we drove at you”. Things took a turn for the worse, when a beer bottle was thrown at the garda, which he dodged.

At one point in the night, the driver appeared with a hose and started spraying gardaí in an effort to keep them away.

When he “turned the hose on persons present” members of An Garda Síochána intervened and pepper-sprayed him.

After the tussle, the vehicle was towed and seized under the provisions of Section 109A of the Road Traffic Act.

Judge Coolican was told the Range Rover has four cars seized in the past.

Solicitor Tom Kiely said his client Joanne Mitchell – who was not alleged to have been directly linked to the incident when she arrived at the scene – needed the vehicle to drive to Mungret/Willie Park school and help her grandchildren.

Mr Kiely said the driver is Ms Mitchell’s boyfriend who has no ownership of the vehicle.

Detective O’Halloran said this assertion was “unbelievable”.

After hearing details of what happened, Judge Coolican received legal submissions regarding the legislation under which gardaí seized the Range Rover.

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Mr Kiely submitted section 109A of the Road Traffic Act was not created to allow gardaí seize “off-road vehicles” such as quad bikes and e-scooters and that it is not intended to apply to regular on-road vehicles.

However, Sergeant Denis Waters said the law “applies to all vehicles” stating that Mr Kiely’s argument was “factually untrue”.

He said gardaí regularly seize vehicles that they deem are at risk of being used for further dangerous driving.

Seeking the return of the vehicle, Mr Kiely said Ms Mitchell needs the car to look after her elderly mother and to take her four grandchildren to school. He said she has been using a car “loaned” by a friend since the Range Rover was seized.

After considering the matter, Judge Carol Anne Coolican refused to return the vehicle.

The court heard the driver of the vehicle is facing prosecution in the District Court in connection with the incident.