Man drove stolen car at Gardaí in north Louth, Dundalk Circuit Court heard

Dundalk Circuit Court has heard how three members of An Garda Síochána had to jump out of the way of a man driving a stolen car in north Louth after he drove at a member of the public who had tried to block him in.

The court was told Stephen McDonagh (31) with an address at the time at Lios Dubh, Armagh Road, Dundalk drove dangerously through Ravendale and escaped across the border on January 3rd last year.

He was before the court charged with attempting to commit a theft, the unauthorised taking of a vehicle at Ballymakellet, two counts of endangerment and causing criminal damage to a garda vehicle on January 3rd 2024.

Mr. McDonagh also admitted stealing two mobile phones at The Gift and Art Gallery, Clanbrassil Street on January 2nd 2024.

The court heard the occupants of the first house disturbed the defendant and his co accused and while nothing was taken, a bail bond he had entered was found outside the family home.

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Another house was entered in the Ballymakellet area, where a black Kia Ceed was stolen from the driveway after its key was stolen.

The owner and his son followed the stolen car towards St. Mary's Church, and at one point the victim's son tried to block it on the R174 at Dulargy but the defendant drove at him, forcing him to jump out of the way, before he clipped the man's car.

He went on to drive towards three gardai, who were forced to take evasive action to avoid being hit and he also collided with a garda van before he escaped across the border.

He was arrested on Bridge Street on February 6th by gardai who spotted him in the driver's seat of a Landrover Defender reported stolen in Bessbrook.

He was also charged with two counts of assault after spitting blood at two gardai - which landed on their clothing, and on one officer's face.

One woman, in a victim impact statement read on her behalf, said seeing a stranger looming behind her daughter as she was reading a book, was the most terrifying moment of her life.

Another woman, who shouted at a figure she'd spotted in the darkness outside her elderly parents' home, told in person how frightening it was and how this fear was exacerbated, as her then 83-year- old father, who has dementia, had asked over and over again what was happening.

The Defendant, who has 248 previous convictions, began taking drugs at the age of 14 and has secured a bed on a residential treatment programme.

Judge Dara Hayes refused an application for bail to allow him take up that place and adjourned the case for mention last Monday when July 30th was fixed for finalisation was due be fixed.