Driver repeatedly told gardaí 'put a bullet in me' after knocking people down in Cork

The defendant was previously jailed for two years for a violent incident connected to the case.

Judge Olann Kelleher imposed a five-month prison sentence and 10-year driving ban on the accused at Cork District Court today. File photo

“Put a bullet in me,” a motorist said over and over to gardaí as he revved the engine of his car on the green in a residential area and refused to get out.

Judge Olann Kelleher was only dealing with one aspect of this case at Cork District Court today – namely two counts of dangerous driving – and he imposed a five-month prison sentence and 10-year driving ban on 47-year-old Warren Cross of Gleann Aras View, Grenagh, County Cork.

Sergeant John Kelleher said that at the height of the incident in Mahon, Warren Cross would not get out of his car and said: “Put a bullet in me, put a bullet in me, you are going to have to f***ing kill me.” Just prior to this, the driver had collided with three pedestrians as he drove away from the scene of a violent incident outside a house.

Defence solicitor, Shane Collins-Daly, said the defendant was previously jailed for two years at Cork Circuit Criminal Court arising out of this violence.

Warren Cross admitted that at the house at Ringmahon Cross, he carried out an assault causing harm to a 75-year-old man and had a knife on the occasion.

Garda Paul Lynch said previously that at 6.35pm on November 9, 2019, the accused arrived in an agitated state and he produced a large dagger-type knife.

Case background

The victim was cut on the finger with the knife. Cross then picked up a concrete flower pot and threw it at the front glass door of the house causing €900 worth of damage.

This evidence was repeated by Sgt Kelleher today by way of background to the dangerous driving.

After the assault, Warren Cross drove his car at the injured party, missed him and collided with a woman who happened to be in the area. He then drove at him a second time and knocked him down. He also drove his car at a second woman in the area.

He drove on to the neighbouring property and knocked this householder down too.

Mr Collins-Daly said that after Warren Cross first appeared in court he was admitted to hospital where he remained for 12 months for treatment for mental health problems.

The defence solicitor said the accused man did not appeal the two-year prison term and was serving it.

“He had a breakdown on the occasion and he apologised profusely for it. He is trying to get on with it as best he can in prison,” Mr Collins-Daly said.