yet again our justice system fails..

Boy (16) jailed for pinning female garda against a wall in stolen four-wheel drive

By Declan Brennan and Jessica Magee
Thursday November 29 2012
A TEENAGER who pinned a garda up against a wall by driving a stolen four-weheel drive into her on Halloween night has been imprisoned for a year

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, pleaded guilty to endangerment, dangerous driving and unauthorised use of a vehicle at Blackditch Road, Ballyfermot on October 3, 2011.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the youth had eight cans of lager, vodka and tablets. He told gardai he was so drunk on the night that he had no memory of driving at speed towards Garda Linda Bury.

Gda Bury suffered a gaping head wound requiring nine staples and had severe tissue damage to her left leg after she was pinned against a wall by the stolen Suzuki four-wheel drive.

The court heard she is still receiving medical treatment for her injuries.

Gda Bury stayed conscious and screaming during the incident, and was only spared further injury by the fact that the jeep had struck a ball of roots at the base of a tree.

A garda colleague got into the jeep and reversed it, after the driver had jumped out of the vehicle.

Judge Carmel Stewart sentenced the youth to three and a half years in detention for reckless endangerment, which she said was the most serious charge, with two and a half years suspended.

The teenager has been directed to keep the peace and comply with probation services for two and a half years once he has served 12 months' detention.

Garda Sean White told Derek Cooney BL, prosecuting, that gardaí in Ballyfermot had received reports that night that there were plans to attack gardai.

He said at about 8.30pm, Gda Bury and Gda Sinead Connolly saw three vehicles driving in convoy and at speed.

One jeep swerved towards the garda car and Gda Connolly accelerated to avoid a head-on collision. The jeep struck the driver’s door and then drove into a pillar on Blackditch Road.

The driver was arrested. While Gda Connolly was being treated for her injuries Gda Bury got out and saw the Suzuki being driven at speed towards her.

Gda White told the court that the Suzuki had being stolen in Athlone, Co Westmeath on September 10.

The accused has five previous convictions, including one for damaging property and one for being a passenger in a stolen car.