Garda working at Elton John's Cork show thrown in the air by motorcyclist

On July 1 last year, Elton John was performing a concert at Pairc Uí Chaoimh and gardaí had set up a number of traffic cordons to facilitate the large amount of pedestrians in the area at the time.

A member of An Garda Síochána was blown 15 feet in the air by the driver of a powerful motorbike and left injured on the road as he sped away while fans made their way to an Elton John concert.

Sergeant Ciarán Kelleher gave this evidence at the sentencing hearing for the driver of the motorbike, Blake Sheridan of no fixed address and living recently in various addresses in East Cork.

The endangerment charge specified that he caused a risk of death or serious injury to Garda Kieran Crowley at Centre Park Road in Cork on the evening of July 1, 2022.

Judge Catherine Staines said: “It is extremely important that members of the public adhere to commands made on the road. The guard was simply doing his job and he (Sheridan) ignored him to avoid getting into trouble.” 

The judge imposed a sentence of three years with half of it suspended and banned him from driving for four years at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Evidence

Sgt Kelleher said that on July 1 last, Elton John was performing a concert at Pairc Uí Chaoimh and gardaí had set up a number of traffic cordons to facilitate the large amount of pedestrians in the area at the time.

He said that the motorcyclist entered the cordoned area and that Garda Stephen Cleary first attempted to stop him but that Sheridan drove around him.

A short time later Garda Conor Kirwan, who was on motorcycle patrol, approached Sheridan’s bike and activated the blue lights indicating for him to stop which he did. Garda Kirwan pulled in behind him and began to dismount.

However, as soon as he did, Sheridan drove off. Garda Kirwan followed him and drew up abreast of him and indicated to pull over. Sheridan slowed up but once again he sped off.

Garda Kirwan communicated to other gardaí on duty in the area that the powerful bike was now heading in their direction.

Garda Kieran Crowley was one of the officers who received this call and he stood out and raised his hand clearly indicating for the accused to stop. He was fully attired in garda uniform, including a high-visibility jacket.

When it was clear that the accused was not going to stop, Garda Crowley stepped out of the way but was still struck by the bike.

“He travelled 15 feet into the air before colliding heavily onto the roadway. Concert-goers came to his immediate assistance. He sat on the side of the road but was visibly disoriented, as well as being bruised and scraped,” Sgt Kelleher said.

The defendant sped away from the scene, the sergeant said.

CCTV

However, CCTV from earlier in the evening tracked him back to O’Reilly’s garage in Blackpool, Cork, where he used his bank card. Gardaí were able to identify him from this and the following day he was interviewed by detectives and he made full admissions to the endangerment at Centre Park Road.

Defence barrister John Devlin said that while it was an extremely serious matter it was not an intentional collision with the garda. He suggested that when the garda decided to move in one direction, Sheridan moved in the same direction in his attempted avoidance.