A man who drove a stolen truck through a Garda Síochána checkpoint and carried a garda 500 metres on the bonnet of the vehicle was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment at yesterday's sitting of Tullamore District Court.
The defendant was stopped by gardaí at a second checkpoint farther down the road.
The court heard the owner of the lorry was in back of the truck sorting through orders when the man stole the lorry. He alerted gardaí by mobile phone of the truck's whereabouts by describing landmarks he could see from the moving vehicle.
At two previous sittings of the court, there was confusion as to the defendant's identity as he had given a different name to gardaí and provided a birth certificate to back up this false identity.
However, gardaí were now satisfied the defendant was Martin Peter Francis Joyce, with an address at Manby Road, Garten, Manchester, England.
Garda Patrick Mulvihill gave evidence of setting up the first checkpoint along with Garda David Scahill. Initially the lorry slowed down, but Garda Mulvihill said the defendant "then dropped a gear" and headed for a gap on one side of the road. "Garda Scahill had no means of escape and jumped on the bonnet." Garda Mulvihill gave chase in a patrol car and the lorry was stopped at a second checkpoint, half a kilometre down the road, when Garda Scahill was thrown off the vehicle.
Insp Pat Murray told the court that Garda Scahill spent three days in hospital but is expected to make a full recovery. The defendant's solicitor, John Hughes, apologised to Garda Scahill on behalf of his client.
Sentencing the defendant to 15 months in prison, Judge John Coughlan said the defendant was "lucky he didn't kill the garda".