Woman throws boiling oil over garda

A YOUNG garda received severe burns after having boiling oil thrown at him by a 29-year-old woman at the scene of a domestic disturbance at a flat on James’s Street, Dublin.

The incident occurred just before 11am yesterday when gardaí from Kilmainham Garda Station were called to the scene at Mary Aikenhead House. Upon arrival, the garda, and another man at the flat had boiling oil thrown at them.

It is understood the garda, in his 20s, took the brunt of the attack and received burns to his face, neck and shoulder.

He was last night at the burn unit at St James’s Hospital where he was said to still be in a state of shock while the other man, who is in his 30s, was discharged.

It is understood the woman was charged and was in Garda custody last night and will appear before the courts this morning.

Garda Representative Association president Damien McCarthy said a serious attack of this nature on a member of the emergency services highlighted the need for special legislation to deal with such crimes.

Mr McCarthy said gardaí, paramedics and other emergency response workers needed to know they were specially protected under the law and that anybody attacking them would face “higher sanctions” than if they had attacked a civilian.

“This demonstrates the type of behaviour we are dealing with out on the streets and the lack of respect for law and order. People who carry out such attacks need to know there are serious consequences,” he said.

Mr McCarthy called on Justice Minister Alan Shatter to take note of what had happened with a view to creating a separate offence to deal with someone who assaults a garda.

Gardaí paid tribute to residents of the Mary Aikenhead complex who, they said, provided invaluable assistance to the injured garda.