App helped gardaí trace alleged baby-snatcher dad

Gardaí used an iPhone app to track a father accused of snatching a 9-month-old boy from his mother in Kilkenny as he allegedly drove at high speed to Cork with the infant unrestrained in the front seat.

Garda Andrew Neill told Cork District Court yesterday that the child’s mother had alerted gardaí and reported an abduction of her son by her husband, against whom she had a protection order.

Garda Neill said he was present when the infant’s mother put the phone on loudspeaker to talk to her husband.

The officer heard the male voice on the other end “threatening that if she did not withdraw charges under domestic violence [legislation] he would take the child out of the country”.

“He mentioned the ferry, saying ‘I am going to the ferry’,” said Garda Neill.

“We used an iPhone app to track the movements of her husband. We were able to see this vehicle moving.

“She had concern for the child’s welfare and whether the child was being fed.

“This man said he was going to get chicken nuggets for the 9-month old baby at McDonald’s in Dungarvan. I spoke to the manager of McDonald’s.”

Eddie Burke, defending, objected to any evidence about the manager being given yesterday, as he was not present. Judge Con O’Leary agreed that such evidence would not be allowed on the basis of being hearsay.

Garda Neill alerted Detective Inspector Michael Hennebery and countrywide alerts were sent out in respect of the grey Volkswagen Passat.

Sergeant Alan Coughlan and Garda Mark O’Sullivan of the Regional Support Unit observed the car pulling up at a house in an estate outside Cork City.

Sgt Coughlan saw that the baby was not in a car seat or in any way restrained on the front seat, which had its back down.

He saw McDonald’s wrappings on the seat. He removed the child.

No defence evidence was given yesterday and the trial will continue on Tuesday, April 29.

The 22-year-old father is charged with willfully neglecting the child and exposing him to injury or otherwise seriously affecting his wellbeing while the child was in the custody of the defendant.

The incident happened between 9pm and 11pm on July 22, 2013.