Suspected car thief claims Cork gardaí threatened to shoot him

Luke Taylor said he had nothing to do with another charge—the theft on November 6 of €590 worth of clothes from Lifestyle Sports at Wilton shopping centre

Judge Mary Dorgan refused bail and remanded 26-year-old Luke Taylor of Kingfisher, Jacob’s Island, Cork, in custody until November 16.

Gardaí investigating the theft of a new Mercedes van saw a young man approaching it with the key and they said he fled from them.

However, the accused claimed that the only reason he ran was because they threatened to shoot him. These different claims by gardaí and by the accused emerged during an application for bail at Cork District Court on Thursday, November 9.

Judge Mary Dorgan refused bail and remanded 26-year-old Luke Taylor of Kingfisher, Jacob’s Island, Cork, in custody until November 16. Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the prosecution would need time to get directions in the case from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Garda Joe Crowley objected to bail on the basis of the seriousness of the charge and concerns that the accused would commit further serious offences if granted bail. The detective said that the defendant had a drug addiction

Eddie Burke, defence solicitor, said Taylor was not under the influence of any intoxicants when arrested on the night of Wednesday, November 8.

Mr Burke said: “He denies the taking of any van. He said he was leaving the house of a friend when he was set upon by plainclothes gardaí.” 

Garda Crowley replied, “We announced ourselves and he dropped a key and fled.” He added that the threat to shoot was not made. In a further reply to Mr Burke he said no garda present was armed.

Mr Burke said:

My difficulty is I have a young man who denies all the charges. He said he had one foot out the gate of the house, that the gardaí were going to shoot him if he did not stop. 

Garda Crowley said: “That is not correct.” 

The Garda witness said: “We saw him walking towards the vehicle at Inchera Lawn (in Mahon). The lights of the vehicle flashed on. I believe he was going to get into the van… He ran when we identified ourselves.” 

Mr Burke said: “He did not know who was chasing him. He stopped when he saw the patrol car because he was relieved when he knew the guards were there. He said he got clean of narcotics and was not under any influence last night.” 

Luke Taylor testified: “I went to the local Tesco to get something to eat. I had only one foot out the gate. Two fellas came out from behind cars and said they were going to shoot me so I took off. I stopped when they identified themselves as guards... when I saw the patrol car.” 

Eddie Burke, defence solicitor, put it to him that the garda witness said he had a key for a stolen van and dropped it at the scene. Luke Taylor replied: “I didn’t have any key on me.” 

Questioned by Sergeant Gearóid Davis, Luke Taylor said he had nothing to do with another charge—namely the theft on November 6 of €590 worth of clothes from Lifestyle Sports at Wilton shopping centre.

He is also charged with handling a stolen car key on November 8 and possession of a stolen white Mercedes van with a 231-registration at Inchera Lawn, Mahon.