Dunmanway man crashed car into door of local garda station during drinking binge

A Dunmanway man who verbally abused gardaí as pigs and crashed his car into the front door of his local garda station while on a major drinking bender over a period of days, has been given a two-year prison sentence.

However, Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin took into account the six months the accused had spent remanded in custody and he suspended the balance of the sentence yesterday.

John Murray, 40, of Derragh, Dunmanway, County Cork, had the sentence of two years backdated to October 24 2019 when he went into custody and the remainder of the two years was suspended for two years on condition that he would comply with the directions of the probation service.

Murray was also banned from driving for two years.

Paula McCarthy defence barrister said the accused went drinking heavily following the death of his father and behaved in this manner. She said that while he was abusive and threatening during the incidents he did not become physically confrontational.

Ms McCarthy BL said that he was a hardworking man and his family supported him in behaving properly.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said he could understand a lot of the background but added, “I cannot understand why he centred his madness on the guards. That connection escapes me. To make matters worse there was the one day and then he came back the next day. Whatever was going on in his head was unhealthy and it was fuelled by drink.”

The Dunmanway man first crashed his car into the front door of the local garda station and the next day he carried a bottle of brandy into the building where he insulted gardaí as pigs and threatened to kill one officer.

John Murray pleaded guilty to damaging the station, threatening to kill Garda Heather Chandler, and dangerous driving.

Detective Sergeant Kevin Long testified that Garda Chandler was on duty on October 2 last year when she heard a loud bang outside the station. A Volkswagen car had been driven into the front door.

On examination of CCTV, the driver was seen getting out of the car and throwing the keys at the garda station before leaving.

The following afternoon, John Murray returned and kicked in a door of the public office.

He caused damage to the office phone and CCTV camera in the public office.

Det. Sgt. Long said, “He had a bottle of Hennessy brandy in his hand. He came towards (Garda Chandler) and said, ‘you f***ing pig guard’. She retreated through the corridors of the station and he followed her saying, ‘You f***ing pig guard, I will kill you pig guards.’ She shouted at him to leave the station and he did so.”

Shortly afterwards in the Square in Dunmanway, Murray approached Garda Martin Hanley and made more comments about pig guards. Murray was carrying a bottle of brandy.

Garda Hanley wrestled it from him and arrested him, Det. Sgt. Long said.

Det. Sgt. Long said there had been no animosity from the defendant towards gardaí in the background to this incident.