Man accused of driving cherry picker through Cork City is released on High Court bail

Accused, who was refused bail at Cork District Court, had been granted bail on appeal to the High Court and was now back in Donegal, court told

The Mary Elmes Bridge in Cork City was damaged, with a portion of it crashing into the River Lee when the cherry-picker was driven on to the pedestrian bridge, causing some of the bridge floor to crash into the River Lee. Picture: Larry Cummins

A 31-year-old Donegal man who spent several weeks remanded in custody on charges arising out of allegedly driving a cherry picker through Cork city centre and crashing at Mary Elmes Bridge has now been released on High Court bail.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, confirmed at Cork District Court on Monday the accused, who was refused bail, had been granted bail on appeal to the High Court and was now back in Donegal. Video footage of the alleged incident was widely shared on social media.

Sergeant John Dineen said the prosecution had no difficulty for Kyle Boyle’s appearance to be excused on Monday at Cork District Court as the matter was being adjourned in any event.

He said damage to the Mary Elmes Bridge at Merchants Quay, Cork, was being assessed by engineers and it was anticipated the cost of those damages would put the case beyond the jurisdiction of the district court. However, the DPP had not directed on this matter and would not until the value of the alleged damage was confirmed.

Judge John King adjourned the case against Kyle Boyle until April 14.

Garda Paul McCarthy previously testified that the Mary Elmes Bridge in Cork City was damaged, with a portion of it crashing into the River Lee when the cherry picker — or mechanical scissor lift — was driven on to the pedestrian bridge, causing some of the bridge floor to crash into the River Lee.

“Pedestrians were left at risk of falling directly into the river as a result of this damage, and it had to sealed off for public safety,” Garda McCarthy said.

Kyle Boyle, of Cork Simon Community, is accused of causing this criminal damage, as well as damaging a metal bollard on Oliver Plunkett Street, and five counts of dangerous driving of this mechanical vehicle around the city. 

Garda McCarthy said previously that at 8.20pm on Sunday, November 2, gardaí responded to a report of a theft of a scissor-lift that was about to be collected and removed from St Patrick’s Quay. He said keys were not in the ignition but in one of the compartments of the cage so it could be collected.

“It is alleged that on the quay and on roads and pedestrian footpaths along the centre of Cork City there was dangerous driving. This incident occurred at a time when both road and pedestrian traffic in the city centre was busy and the incident was captured on mobile phone cameras and shared on social media by multiple witnesses at different parts of the route. 

"The scissor-lift was brought to a stop by gardaí on South Gate Bridge where arrests were made.”