A motorist who asked another driver to move along from a petrol pump in a busy garage was punched in the face and knocked unconscious, a garda said yesterday.

President Michael D Higgins took time out of his busy schedule yesterday to visit a hero garda who was seriously injured as he tried to protect the public during a high-speed rampage by occupants of a stolen van.

A Garda motorcyclist tossed into the air by a speeding stolen van was yesterday hailed a hero for safeguarding other road users from being killed or seriously injured.

Two burglars in a stolen van careered through the streets of Cork without any regard for the safety of other motorists as they tried to escape pursuing gardaí.

A YOUNG garda had her nose broken during an “extremely violent” drink-fuelled incident in Castleisland, Co Kerry, at the height of St Patrick’s Weekend festivities.

Five Dublin men accused of membership of an illegal organisation were only under suspicion for theft until gardaí saw the tattoos of one of the accused in custody, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

Gardaí recovered a CS gas canister, a stun gun, pick-axe handles, balaclavas and a fake garda jacket after five men seen acting suspiciously by an off duty Special Branch officer were arrested in Bray, the Special Criminal Court in Dublin was told today.

Two men have been charged in connection with an attack in Cobh, Co Cork this morning, which left a garda hospitalised with extensive injuries.