Man rammed Garda car, detective claims

A man allegedly armed with an Uzi submachine gun attempted to escape arrest by ramming a Garda car before his car was brought forecibly to a halt, a detective sergeant claimed today.

Detective Sergeant Richard Fahy, of the Garda Emergency Response Unit, was giving evidence of the car chase that ended with the arrest of James Martin Cahill at a Co Dublin hotel last year.

In the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today, Det. Sgt Fahy claimed that armed detectives called on the accused to stop, but he accelerated and tried to evade arrest by ramming the patrol car three or four times.

James Martin Cahill, formerly of Birmingham but now of no fixed abode, is accused of the unlawful possession of an Uzi 9mm parabelum submachine gun and 15 rounds of 9mm parabelum ammunition on March 21, 2003, at Garter’s Lane, Saggart, contrary to the Firearms and Exlposives Act.

The accused denies the charge.

The court heard that on March 21, 2003, members of the Special Detective Unit, National Surviellance and the heavily armed Emergency Response Unit were waiting near the Quality Hotel, Saggart, beside the Citywest complex.

The Garda Crime and Security branch had received information that the accused was to meet another man, Graham Dunne, at that location.

Questioned by Mr Brendan Grehan SC, prosecuting, Det. Sgt Fahy said as he drove behind the accused’s silver Peugeot he activated the garda siren and strobe lights.

He was wearing a cap bearing the word Garda and other Garda ID. As he drove alongside he said he flashed his garda ID card and shouted at the accused to stop.

“He looked clearly at me and then he reversed his vehicle,” Det. Sgt Fahy said. He claimed that James Cahill then collided with the garda car in an attempt to escape.

Det. Sgt Fahy told the court the accused drove at speed down Garter’s Lane. He allegedly rammed the patrol car three or four times and was eventually brought to a halt when the garda car pinned his Peuguot against a stone wall.

The court heard that when gardaí broke the windows they found an Uzi submachine gun in a blue holdall bag lying open on the front passenger seat.

Cross examined by Mr Brendan Nix, SC, defending, counsel put it to Det. Sgt Fahy that the gardaí could simply have pulled in front of the accused’s car.

That would not have been the safest way to do it, he replied.

Counsel then suggested that the holdall bag was not open, but was “in a closed condition”.

“It was not My Lord,” Det. Sgt Fahy replied.

The Uzi submachine gun, produced in evidence, was the standard weapon issued to members of the Special Detective Unit, the court heard.

The trial continues tomorrow.