Man headbutted Garda car window until it broke

A Cork man who had been placed under arrest subsequently used his head to escape from a Garda patrol car.

He was jailed for 15 months yesterday.

Inspector Pat Meaney told Cork District Court that Gavin Ring, of 60 Blarney St, was arrested on May 1 at 10.30pm. This followed gardaí having observed Ring throwing a flick-knife over a 15ft-high wall.

“He had to be handcuffed because of his behaviour at the time. He was put in the Garda patrol car to be taken out to Gurranabraher Garda Station,” Insp Meaney said.

“He tried to get out the passenger window of the patrol car by headbutting the window, causing €200 worth of damage.”

Judge Con O’Leary said: “He was quite violent. Headbutting a car window until it broke; it must have taken an extreme amount of effort.

“And I take a particularly dim view of possession of knives.”

Insp Meaney said the accused had three previous convictions for carrying a knife.

The inspector said that in the most serious case against Ring in his previous convictions, he was given a 30-month sentence at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, all of which was suspended.

Judge O’Leary said in relation to that sentence: “He got a great break from the circuit court a couple of years ago and he did not take it.”

The background to the incident was that Ring and another man were seen crossing from Cathedral Rd to St Mary’s Rd. Ring threw the knife over the high wall as the gardaí approached.

He was drunk and abusive at the time and lashed out, causing the criminal damage to the window of the patrol car in the manner described in an attempt to climb out and escape.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said, “He is pleading guilty, he is not putting the State to one whit of trouble with regard to proof.”