Man jailed after mob confronted gardaí

A violent mob wearing balaclavas led by a 58-year-old grandmother tried to stop gardaí taking possession of a car involved in a high-speed incident in Rathkeale, a court has heard.

Michael Ryan, aged 25, of 7 Fairgreen, Rathkeale, was yesterday jailed for 18 months at Limerick Circuit Court for violent disorder and threatening to kill two gardaí on June 7, 2013.

Garda Tom Flavin told the court gardaí went to Fair Hill to investigate a suspicious shed fire on June 7, 2013. They came on an English- registered Ford Mondeo, which was travelling at speed. On stopping this car, men wearing balaclavas got out and confronted gardaí.