Hoax call 'lured gardaí to petrol-bomb scene', court told

A petrol bomb exploded when it was thrown at a garda patrol car after the guards were lured to a housing estate with a hoax call on Halloween night, it was claimed today, as two men were charged and refused bail.

A 999 call was made to the garda control room on October 31 and gardaí were lured to Innishmore Grove in Ballincollig, Co Cork, at 10.30pm that night, Superintendent Con Cadogan testified yesterday at Cork District Court.

“A petrol bomb was thrown at the patrol car and it ignited on impact with the patrol car. Gardaí were very fortunate serious injury was not caused on the night in question but for the action of the two gardaí who managed to get out of the area,” it was alleged by the superintendent.

Judge Uinsin MacGruairc refused to grant bail to the two accused, Glen Chivers of 18, Innismore Drive, Ballincollig, and Darren McSweeney of 35, Rockboro Heights, Waterpark, Carrigaline, County Cork.

The two 19-year-olds were charged with being in possession of an explosive device with intent to cause damage to a patrol car at Innishmore Grove on October 31.

McSweeney had nothing to say when he was charged by Detective Garda Donal O’Connell.

Chivers replied: “I apologise for bringing the law into my own hands and should have dealt with it by the Garda Siochana,” when he was charged by Detective Garda Rory O’Connell.

Superintendent Cadogan said it was alleged that the alleged incident was intended as retribution for another incident five days earlier.

He said he was strenuously opposed to bail being granted to the two accused. He said it was alleged that the two men conspired to make two hoax phone calls which lured the guards to the area.

Gardaí Tony Devine and Fintan Sleator went to the scene and first found that there was nothing happening in the area. They returned when there was a second phone call and were then petrol-bombed, according to the superintendent.

Solicitors, Emmet Boyle and Eddie Burke, representing Chivers and McSweeney, respectively, did not cross-examine the superintendent nor put forward any evidence to advance the applications for bail.

Supt Cadogan also referred to the weight of evidence against the two accused men in his objection to bail.