Man given time to pay compensation
A 23-year-old man who rammed a garda car has been given time to come up with compensation for the damage.
Dean Harper, an unemployed chef, of 11 Lough Táin, Station Road, Omeath, had denied charges, including dangerous driving and causing criminal damage, arising out of the incident on 30 November, 2016.
Garda Alan Lynch gave evidence that at 11am at Narrow Water, Cornamucklagh, he saw the accused sitting in a maroon NI-reg Renault Megane parked on the wrong side of the road.
The officer said he blocked this vehicle with the patrol car. Harper then began revving hard as if to make off, before forcing his way past between the garda car and a ditch, causing a collision in the process.
Harper drove off at speed, and Gda. Lynch said he couldn’t locate the vehicle. He got no answer when calling to the defendant’s and his mother’s houses.
This man was subsequently arrested on 10 December, 2016. He made no comment during an interview.
The witness told solicitor Niall Breen he is well aware of who rammed the patrol car.
He reported the damage to Sergeant Barry Byrne, informing him he knew who the driver was.
It was submitted by Mr Breen that Sgt Byrne’s statement says the car was rammed by un- known occupants of a Renault Megane.
Sgt Byrne told Dundalk court that was a genuine mistake on his part. He remembered Gda Lynch telling him he knew the occupants of the vehicle.
Garda Kevin Fitzsimons, who accompanied Gda Lynch on the morning in question, said he went to get out of the patrol to check the Megane.
He heard it revving and his colleague told him to get back in.
Harper, wearing a hi-vis jacket, forced his way past on Gda Fitzsimons’ passenger side, damaging the car in the process. They lost sight of the vehicle. Mr Breen applied for a direction on the grounds it was not proven beyond reasonable doubt who was in the car, given the sergeant’s statement.
The defence solicitor indicated he was not calling evidence.
Judge Coughlan did strike out three hit and run charges after Mr Breen pointed out the registration of the garda squad car was on those summonses.
However, he convicted Dean Harper of driving without insurance for which a four-year disqualification and €15 fine were imposed.
The defendant was given until 21 November to pay €1,460 for the damage, while a charge of dangerous driving was taken into account.
In a separate matter, Harper was fined €15 and disqualified