Garda dragged 80ft by car thought she was 'going to die'

Detective Garda Catherine McCarthy was pushed off the side of a car speeding from a drugs transaction and the back wheel of the car rolled over her

Detective Sergeant Michael Lyons told Cork Circuit Criminal Court: “It was the most dangerous incident I have been involved in in 30 years' service."

A pioneering member of An Garda Síochána was pushed off the side of a car speeding from a drugs transaction and as a back wheel of the car rolled over her it was her worst ever feeling of fear and helplessness and she thought – “I am going to die.” 

This was the experience of Detective Garda Catherine McCarthy as the man who admitted endangering her life, Martin Keohane of Derrygreen, Skibbereen, County Cork, was remanded in custody for sentencing on May 18 for that offence and for obstructing a drugs search and related charges.

Detective Sergeant Michael Lyons said on Friday at Cork Circuit Criminal Court: “It was the most dangerous incident I have been involved in in 30 years' service, where a guard could have received fatal injuries.” Judge Helen Boyle said she had a lot to consider as she remanded the accused in custody saying a custodial sentence was inevitable. 

The judge thanked Det. Garda McCarthy for coming to court and giving her victim impact statement, read on her behalf by Det. Sgt. Lyons, and the judge described her as a pioneering garda being the first female member of the West Cork divisional drugs unit.

Incident

Det. Sgt Lyons said the incident occurred on a remote stretch of road near Baltimore where a dealer met his customers. The drug dealer walked through the woods at 7pm on April 8, 2021, on the particular stretch of roadway at Creagh, Baltimore, where he met and sold Martin Keohane €400 worth of cannabis which he planned to share with friends.

Following the drugs transaction, Det. Sgt. Lyons intercepted the drug-dealer in the woods and at the same time as this, Detective Garda Catherine McCarthy – the first female member ever appointed to the West Cork divisional drugs unit – approached Martin Keohane’s car, clearly identified herself as a member of An Garda Síochána and told him to stop.

“Martin Keohane attempted to drive off. Det. Garda McCarthy attempted to take the keys out of the ignition. He disregarded Det. Garda McCarthy’s direction and accelerated away at reckless speed in the direction of Skibbereen.

“As he drove off he avoided hitting a wall by swerving violently away from it at the last minute, while all the time Det. Garda McCarthy was hanging from the driver’s door of the car. 

She was dragged for approximately 80 feet as the car travelled at increasing speed until she was pushed by Martin Keohane from the moving vehicle.

“I observed his vehicle driving over Det. Garda McCarthy’s ankle causing her significant injuries.

“At a hastily set up checkpoint, Det. Garda Shannon Ryan was forced to jump back into the garda vehicle to avoid being struck as Martin Keohane sped through the checkpoint with his vehicle half in the ditch and half on the road as he attempted to avoid the checkpoint.” 

He was contacted by telephone later that night by Det. Sgt. Lyons but he refused to meet gardaí. He met them the following day when he made admissions and expressed apologies for his actions.

Victim impact statement

In her victim impact statement, Det. Garda McCarthy said: “Without warning, I heard tyres skidding on the gravel and next I was travelling at speed in his car window, shouting and begging him to stop. What happened relatively quickly felt like an eternity. With my legs uncontrollably dragging along the road, the speed was getting faster and I thought I was going to die.

“I remember his back wheel running over my ankle as I lay on the road. He drove off. An overpowering surge of anger and gratitude came over me. Gratitude that I was alive.

“I am in constant pain of varying degree. My life and my family’s life has changed hugely because of this incident and my present fear is that things won’t go back to the way they used to be. The constant pain I have in my neck, mid- and lower-back impede me from being an active mother to my young children. I cannot run around and play games with them. 

"I played sport for over 20 years prior to having children. Sitting on the floor making jigsaws or colouring is a painful task. Lifting them is too much of a struggle that I have to avoid doing so. I experience a lot of guilt for my children as I feel I’m not the mother they had/deserve. I feel they have been cheated.

“Professionally, I feel my career is suffering due to my extended periods of absence. I am missing out on on-going investigations. This bothers me greatly. I miss being involved and part of the team.” 

Defence senior counsel Tom Creed said the 34-year-old struggled with addiction since the age of 16. “It is his intention to clean up his act, so to speak,” Mr Creed said.