Trio quizzed after gardaí hurt in ramming incidents

Three men were being questioned yesterday in relation to two successive ramming incidents which left gardaí requiring hospitalisation.

The drama began when a BMW car failed to stop at a Garda crime prevention checkpoint on the N80 in Clonegal, Co Carlow, at around 11.50pm on Saturday.

Gardaí pursued the vehicle along the Ballon to Bunclody road towards Myshall, where one Garda car was rammed near a community centre.

The chase continued as the BMW sped towards Carlow railway station, where it rammed a Garda patrol car on St Joseph’s Rd.

A Garda spokesman said that three gardaí injured during the incident were taken to St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny, for treatment. They suffered minor injuries and were later discharged.

He said the occupants of the car, three males in their 20s, were arrested at the scene. They were detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at Carlow Garda Station.

A small amount of cocaine, pending analysis, was recovered by gardaí.

Concern over ramming incidents saw calls in the Dáil just over a week ago for tough penalties for deliberate ramming of Garda vehicles. Kerry Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin said official figures showed that Garda cars are being rammed up to three times every fortnight.

Figures show that 66 Garda vehicles were rammed in 2010; 55 in 2011; 61 in 2012; and 63 in 2013.

Mr Griffin has brought forward a bill proposing a minimum 10-year jail term for the offence.