Men threatened to 'split gardaí in two' as they tried to arrest driver after crash in Cork

Both men were given suspended sentences

The incident happened when gardaí were on duty on December 20 last year at Carrigtwohill, County Cork, at a checkpoint. File picture

Two passengers in a car that sped away from gardaí obstructed officers who went to arrest the driver after the car crashed.

Garda Diarmuid O’Neill outlined the background to what happened at Cork District Court. Gardaí were on duty on December 20 last year at Carrigtwohill, County Cork, at a checkpoint. A vehicle failed to stop and gardaí followed it until it left the main road at Glounthaune and crashed shortly afterwards.

As the guards went to arrest the driver, two passengers attempted to intervene to prevent the arrest.

Now at Cork District Court, Simon Quilligan, formerly of Annalee Grove, Mayfield, Cork, and Jason Quilligan, formerly of Eagle Valley, Wilton, pleaded guilty to obstructing gardaí. Both men are in their 20s.

Judge Marian O’Leary was told they were aggressive and squared up to Garda Diarmuid O’Neill and Garda David O’Shea. To each garda the threat was made to “split you in two”. Gardaí were also urged to “come on, take us on – see what happens”.

Pepper-spray had to be deployed to effect an arrest as the accused men failed to calm down.

Defence solicitor, Donal Daly, said: “These two gentlemen were not the prime target of this incident. They were passengers. They had been in a house when they went to Carrigtwohill to go to an off-licence to buy more drink.

The driver – for reasons unknown to the passengers – took off and there was a fairly nasty crash in Glounthaune. The two Quilligans were bounced around in the crash. 

"They had no hand, act or part in the driving away from the guards. They intervened when their friend was being arrested. They shouldn’t have done so. They accept they shouldn’t have done so."

Jason Quilligan was given a two-month suspended sentence. Simon Quilligan was given a three-month suspended sentence. They were also each fined €300 for engaging in threatening behaviour. Judge Marian O’Leary took the charge of being drunk and a danger into consideration.