Sentencing adjourned for man who smashed patrol van

Sentencing of a man who smashed a patrol van with a lump hammer and produced knives in a Garda station, hoping he would be shot dead, was adjourned yesterday for a psychiatric report.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin remanded Finbarr Savage, aged 43, of 119 Glenamoy Lawn, Mayfield, Cork, in custody until June 13 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Sinéad Behan, defending, asked for free legal aid to be extended for a psychiatrist’s report on the accused.

Ms Behan said the defendant was previously successful in training horses for flat racing. However, he developed a heroin addiction, the barrister said.

Ray Boland, prosecuting, agreed that there did appear to be a psychiatric background.

Savage has been in custody since December when he was arrested. Garda Dermot Broughton charged him with causing criminal damage to the 2015-registered patrol van and producing two knives — a carving knife and a smaller knife — at Mayfield Garda Station.

Detective Garda Edmund O’Donoghue said that the defendant’s thought process was truly chilling.

The allegation made at the original bail application was that he wanted to provoke armed members of An Garda Síochána to shoot him dead.

The detective said it was alleged that “he was observed with a lump hammer and two knives”.

“He intended to kill or cause harm for the purpose of causing the gardaí to shoot him dead,” said Det Gda O’Donoghue. “His intention was to attack or kill a guard — whatever he had to do so that they would shoot him.”

Savage allegedly carried a change of clothing in case he needed to evade capture if it worked out differently or to be used, if required, in a mortuary.