Truck driver tells of hijack horror

A terrifired driver who was assaulted by four men who hijacked his truck was forced to drive while one of his assailants kicked him in the side and another had his foot in the steering wheel, a court heard.

The evidence was heard at Limerick Circuit Court in the trial of four members of a Limerick Traveller family who pleaded guilty to the unlawful seizure of a vehicle from Willie O'Neill, Newport, Co Tipperary, and to assaulting Mr O'Neill between Castletroy and Arthur's Quay, Limerick, on September 2, 2003.

The four men are Patrick 'Pa' Casey (aged 27) and Martin Casey (aged 21), both of Old Cork Road, Limerick; and John Casey (aged 29) and James Casey (aged 26), of Clonlong Halting Site, Limerick.

The four accused men had been at a funeral of a relative and were on their way from Anacotty into Limerick when they hijacked Mr O'Neill's lorry and 42-foot trailer, the court heard.

Mr O'Neill had pulled up at traffic lights in Castletroy on the outskirts of Limerick city when he saw a man walk up to the driver's door and gesture with his thumb as if he wanted a lift.

Mr O'Neill indicated he could not carry the man but as he turned he saw another person get into his cab from the passenger-door side and shout back to others: "We're in."

In his statement to gardaí, the truck driver said that one of the men kicked him repeatedly in the side and another had his foot in the steering wheel trying to make him crash as he drove towards the city centre.

The court also heard how one of the four men threatened to "break his face" and that all four men were laughing during the ordeal.

When he approached the Abbey Bridge near the city centre however, Mr O'Neill managed to pull the handbrake and jump from the vehicle after taking out the keys from the ignition.

He was kicked by one of the men as he left the cab and ran back along Clare Street, where he managed to stop another lorry and the alarm was raised

The injured man was, the court heard, shaking, crying and curled up when gardaí arrived and was simply unable to stand.

All four men were arrested shortly afterwards and one of them, John Casey, during an interview with gardaí, said that Mr O'Neill picked them up "out of the goodness of his heart".

The court heard that all four men are extremely apologetic for their actions and are trying to raise €5,000 for the victim, such is their remorse.

Judge Carroll Moran described the hijacking of the vehicle as a "dreadful experience" for Mr O'Neill and said it oculd have ended with very serious consequences.

Judge Moran said he was taking an extremely grave view of the offence and, while it may not have been premeditated, it was still a dangerous act.

He adjourned sentencing until April 19 and asked that probation reports be compiled in the meantime.