Five arrested after dramatic chase in Cork

Five people have been arrested following a car chase through east Cork in the early hours of Monday that saw a Garda car rammed and members of the force hospitalised for treatment.

A stand-off in a rural townland followed the chase, before the four men and one woman were arrested.

The drama unfolded shortly after midnight on Monday when a Garda squad car came across a number of people in a car at Drishane More, 20km east of Midleton, acting suspiciously.

The car initially failed to stop for gardaí, and the group attacked subsequently the Garda car.

They damaged the vehicle and injured two gardaí in the process.

The group then fled the scene in the direction of Youghal, later ramming a Garda patrol car at Mount Uniacke village on the way, before fleeing.

Gardaí later came across the same car attempting to enter a premises in the east Cork region, where it is understood the group, armed with slash hooks, knives and iron bars, confronted gardaí.

Garda reinforcements arrived at the scene where a stand-off occurred for a time before local gardaí, with the help of the Regional Support Unit, were able to gain entry and arrest the five people.

It is understood that bean bag rounds were shot during the entry. A taser was used in subduing at least one of the group.

The five arrested — four men aged 18, 22, 35, and 46, and a woman aged 27 — were detained overnight at Midleton, Cobh and Fermoy Garda stations and will appear at Mallow District Court this morning.

The two injured gardaí received hospital treatment, but their injuries are non life-threatening

It is understood that one garda was being treated at Cork University Hospital for a suspected fractured skull.