Man read most of the Bible since his 'one-man attack' on Cork garda station, court told

The judge directed that a Cork-based support organisation which helps people released from prison be contacted to secure some form of accommodation for the man

Sam Davies threw rocks at Dunmanway Garda Station and damaged the windows and window frames. File photo: Andy Gibson

A young man who carried out “a one-man attack” on a garda station has been released after a four-month stint in prison during which he read most of the Bible.

Sam Davies, a 22-year-old who previously lived in Bandon but who is now of no fixed abode, had been in custody on remand for some four months following the incident at Dunmanway Garda Station in West Cork last October.

In initially charging him gardaí had said that he had caused damage to the Garda Station worth some €2,000. 

The incident occurred at 5.40pm on October 7 last when Mr Davies went to the station — which was unattended at the time — and knocked on the door. On not receiving a response he then began to throw rocks at the building, as well as kicking the door and causing damage to windows and window frames. CCTV cameras were damaged.

At Bandon District Court he pleaded guilty to the charges, with Judge James McNulty stating that “on a bad day in October last year he effectively conducted a one-man attack on Dunmanway Garda Station and did a lot of damage.

“He has been in custody for four months,” the judge added, with Mr Davies’s solicitor, Plunkett Taaffe, explaining that bar a two-to-three week period, Mr Davies had been in custody since October 8 last. Judge McNulty said Mr Davies had “effectively remanded himself back into custody as he was not making the bail conditions”.

A probation report was provided to the court and Mr Taaffe said his client would be pleading guilty to the charges. Mr Taaffe said one issue was the lack of suitable accommodation, adding that this would likely also be a concern at the end of any sentence Mr Davies might serve.

The judge referred to a “fractured and difficult upbringing” and Mr Taaffe said one option might be for Cork-based support organisation The Foyer — which assists people released from prison — to secure some form of accommodation for him. 

Judge McNulty directed they be contacted immediately so they could prioritise Mr Davies’s case, adding: “Sam is sound. 

If he gets a lucky break with accommodation I am sure he could do great things with his life. He deserves a break.

Asked if he was still “chipping away at the big book”, Mr Davies said he was now reading the New Testament. “I was raised religiously,” he said, adding this had meant “mostly keeping the faith”.

Judge McNulty said Mr Davies had learned a lesson and sentenced him to six months in prison on two of the criminal damage charges, deeming it to have already been served, with other charges taken into consideration. On a public order charge, Mr Davies entered a probation bond for one year with supervision on his own bond of €100, no cash required.