Louth man jailed after he recklessly collided with a female officer causing her serious injuries

A Louth man attempting to evade members of a garda drugs unit recklessly collided with a female officer causing her serious injuries, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Gardai were using CCTV to monitor suspicious activity on Railway Street, Dublin 1 on the afternoon of April 11, 2024 when Jamiu Giwa (29) came to their attention.

Members of the drugs unit decided to box him in and while attempting to flee, Giwa collided with the plain clothes female guard, who had identified herself as a member of An Garda Siochana and asked him to stop.

She later described being hit with so much force that she felt her feet lift off the ground before she landed.

Giwa also fell to the ground, then got up and ran off, without checking if the garda was okay.  Two other men stopped to check on her.

She initially couldn't get up due to the pain in her shoulder and was taken to hospital, where she was treated for deep tissue injuries. It was later identified that she had sustained a concussion, a fracture to her shoulder and a knee injury.

The court heard that the concussion symptoms did not subside for seven weeks, and the garda was unable to work for four months.

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In her victim impact statement, the female garda said she knew when she joined An Garda Siochana, that there was a risk of injury.

She said she felt she had done everything correctly on the day, informing Giwa she was a garda, but he “went through me instead of around me”, then pushed her while on the ground to help himself get up before leaving.

She said this showed a “blatant disregard for my safety and welfare” and that he did not care if she was okay. She said this incident has affected her physically and emotionally and led to a loss of confidence in herself and her abilities.

Giwa (29) of Hoeys Lane, Dundalk, Co. Louth pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and was yesterday sentenced to two years and three months, with the final three months suspended on strict conditions.

Simon Donagh BL, prosecuting, told the court that the guilty plea was entered on the basis of recklessness.

Giwa was followed by other gardai and later arrested. He made admissions during interview and apologised.

He has 16 previous convictions including for drugs, road traffic and theft offences. He has no previous convictions for violence and entered an early guilty plea, the court heard.

An investigating garda agreed with Cathal McGreal BL, defending, that the street was narrow and busy and that the impact between Giwa and the injured party was not captured on CCTV.

It was accepted that the interaction lasted around two seconds, and that during interview, Giwa apologised several times.

In her impact statement, the victim said she suffered a financial loss of €7,000 including medical costs and loss of allowances.

She said while she has made a good recovery, she continues to have pain and can no longer play contact sports.  She said she could have to undergo surgery on her knee.

Mr McGreal said his client did not intend to cause injury and was reckless, but accepts responsibility and is aware he is facing a custodial sentence.

Giwa has some work history and had been trying to set up his own business.

Counsel said that even if Giwa panicked at the prospect of being detained and was trying to get away, his actions were wrong. Giwa was scared and ran, recklessly disregarding the safety of Gda Doyle, Mr McGreal said.

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Giwa has a history of cannabis use, but instructs he has not used it in a significant period of time, counsel said. A letter of apology was handed to the court.

Mr McGreal asked the court to take into account his client's early guilty plea and that he has no previous convictions for violence.

Imposing sentence yesterday, Tuesday, Judge Orla Crowe noted that Giwa attempted to flee in circumstances which a garda drugs unit considered to be suspicious activity. She said if he had nothing to fear, he had no reason to flee and no reason to charge into this undercover garda.

She said the injured party identified herself as a garda and directed him to stop and if Giwa had followed this lawful direction, “that would have been the end of the matter”.

“Instead a garda in the middle of her career as a young officer is very seriously injured,” the judge noted.

The judge said she had taken into account Giwa's guilty plea, apologies and expressions of remorse.

She said while Giwa was reckless in causing injury to the victim, he was “deliberately running away” from gardai who “were carrying out important work”.

Judge Crowe imposed a sentence of two years and three months, suspending the final three months for two years on strict conditions.