Bail for Cork teenager charged with endangering gardaí in patrol car ramming

The accused is also charged with driving the stolen car

The defendant is charged with two counts of endangerment, specifically that he created a risk of death or serious injury by ramming a garda car in which a garda was sitting. File picture

A member of An Garda Síochána was injured during a ramming incident involving a stolen car and a patrol car in Glanmire and now a teenager accused of endangerment and other related charges has been granted bail on conditions despite garda objections to his release.

Scott Caulfield, aged 19, of 221 Cathedral Road, Gurránabraher, Cork, was arrested and brought before Cork District Court where Garda Niall McCarthy objected to bail on grounds that included the seriousness of the alleged incident in Glanmire on Monday, June 22.

Because of the dispute between solicitors and the minister for justice about free legal aid payments no legal representation was available to the accused in the course of his application for bail.

Judge Valerie Corcoran remanded him in custody with consent to bail until June 30 on his own bond of €300 and an independent surety of €3,000, of which €1,500 must be lodged.

Other conditions require him to reside at home, sign twice daily at Gurranabraher garda station, have no contact with co-accused or witnesses, stay out of Glanmire Business Park, surrender his passport, notify gardaí of any change of address and remain alcohol- and drug-free in public.

Scott Caulfield is charged with two counts of endangerment, specifically that he created a risk of death or serious injury by ramming a garda car in which Sergeant Kevin Hastings was sitting.

The second count of endangerment alleges that he caused a risk of death or serious injury to Detective Garda Ian King and Garda Clare McCarthy during the ramming as both members of An Garda Síochána were in the vicinity.

Garda Niall McCarthy said at Cork District Court: “It is alleged that on June 22 gardaí received information that a 222-registered black Volvo XC90 was the subject of an unauthorised taking during a burglary in Douglas.

“Later in the day, Detective Garda David Hickey who was off-duty in the Glanmire Business Park, saw the car with a number of males inside.

“Gardaí were alerted. On arrival at the scene they observed the vehicle parked with two males in the front seats. Gardaí parked in front of the vehicle and approached the vehicle at the driver’s side.

“The driver reversed, hitting the wall and drove at the parked unmarked patrol vehicle smashing into it causing the vehicle to strike Garda Clare McCarthy, injuring her. The vehicle made good its escape after ramming a civilian van and another Garda car.” 

Among other charges, Scott Caulfield is also charged with driving the stolen car.

Other defendants

A co-accused, Cian Yelverton of St. Rita’s Avenue, Gurranabraher, was charged with being a passenger in the stolen car. He was remanded in custody until June 30.

Earlier in the week, two other young men accused of being passengers in the stolen Volvo moments before this incident, 20-year-old Deon Stark of 4 Mount St. Joseph’s Heights, Bakers Road, Cork, and 18-year-old Dean Heaphy of 23 Churchfield Terrace East, Churchfield, were remanded on bail on conditions.

They include residing at their home address, signing daily at the local garda station, commit no offences, keeping a nightly 11pm to 7am curfew, being contactable on a mobile phone by gardaí at all times, staying out of Glanmire and having no contact with other parties to the case.

In order to keep the defendants apart from each other Judge Corcoran adjourned the case against Stark to July 6 and Heaphy’s case to July 7.