Man who rammed into gates at Leinster House, Áras An Uachtaráin, and at Customs House to be sentenced in May

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard David O'Callaghan has since been diagnosed with schizophrenia, for which he is receiving treatment

The scene after O'Callaghan drove into gates at Leinster House in Dublin last August. He has pleaded guilty to the offence. Picture: Cate McCurry/PA

A man who caused €60,000 worth of damage after ramming into gates at Leinster House, Áras An Uachtaráin, and at Customs House last year was suffering from a paranoid delusion at the time, court has heard.

David O’Callaghan, aged 41, of the Fairways, Woodbrook Glen, Bray, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty to driving into a rear gate of Leinster House on August 2 last.

He further pleaded to two counts of criminal damage to gates at Phoenix Lodge at Aras An Uachtaráin and at Customs House, also on the same date.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Thursday that O'Callaghan has since been diagnosed with schizophrenia, for which he is receiving treatment.

Garda Niamh McCarthy told Oisin Clarke, prosecuting, that O'Callaghan drove a white Ford Transit van to Chesterfield Avenue, then did a sweeping U-turn in front of the entrance gates of Áras An Uachtaráin before reversing into them, breaching them before driving away.

The gates were inoperable for a period of time after this incident, with repairs costing €4,795.

O'Callaghan then drove to the Customs House, where he drove into gates, reversed out, then turned and reversed in for a second time.

The court heard the gates were not forced open the first time he hit them, but after he reversed into them. Approximately €2,000 worth of damage was caused.

A few minutes later, a garda on duty at the rear of Leinster House heard a loud crash, then metal hitting the ground. He saw a vehicle reversing from the gates towards Merrion St Upper.

A short time later, the garda heard two further crashes and then noticed the van stopped near the department of the Taoiseach, and that a set of gates at the ministers' entrance were off the hinges.

O'Callaghan damaged three sets of gates at the rear of Leinster House in quick succession at around 2.30am. The first gate was not fully breached after O'Callaghan drove straight into it due to the anti-ram protection in place. He then reversed at speed into the gate known as the minsters' entrance, knocking it from its hinges. One of the gates collided with an usher's hut, smashing a window.

The court heard that O'Callaghan struck the perimeter gate at the department of the Taoiseach with such force that the airbags deployed and the van was inoperable afterwards.

More than €52,000 damage was caused to the gates at Leinster House. In total, €60,000 worth of damage was caused, not including the damage to the vehicle in the forecourt, which O'Callaghan caused before he drove to the Phoenix Park.

O'Callaghan got out of the van after hitting the third gate at Leinster House and appeared to be drinking from something. It also looked like he had his phone and was also recording.

He told gardaí at the scene that he had been driving the van and admitted crashing into the gates at Leinster House, Customs House, and Áras an Uachtaráin.

He also told gardaí that he had consumed alcohol and cocaine earlier that evening.

After his arrest, O'Callaghan told gardaí he had reversed into a vehicle parked in the forecourt of Windsor Motors, Bray, before he drove to Aras An Uachtaráin. The court was told that extensive damage was caused to the vehicle.

O'Callaghan was arrested and was initially deemed unfit for interview. When he was later interviewed, he said he “just lost the head and felt highly psychotic”.

O'Callaghan told gardaí that a person he believed to be his father was “spiking” and spraying poison in his food and room. He said he had been communicating with President Michael D Higgins about this but decided to crash into the gates to stop it himself.

He told gardaí he only wanted to cause damage and didn't want to get inside.

Judge Nolan adjourned the sentence until May 6 for finalisation and directed the probation service to prepare conditions for O'Callaghan's supervision.

The judge noted that O'Callaghan would require supervision and the probation service is “a state authority with statutory power” with the judge noting that the court didn't want to “place these burdens” of supervision of O'Callaghan's father or psychiatric services.