Grandfather who rammed a Garda vehicle in Louth jailed

​A 62-year-old grandfather who rammed a garda Armed Support Unit vehicle a number of times as he tried to evade them in County Louth, has been jailed for 15 months at Dundalk Circuit Court.

​Patrick McGuinness, with an address at Mourne Drive, Warrenpoint, County Down pleaded guilty to endangerment at Golf Links Road, Ardee on October 20th 2023 as well as a charge of money laundering in relation to cash seized from his front seat passenger.

Members of the Garda ASU were on duty in the Ardee area around 9.30am, when a Northern registered Vauxhall Insignia driven by the defendant, came to their attention and their suspicions were raised when Mr McGuinness was unclear about who the man beside him in the front passenger seat was.

He took off and drove into the patrol vehicle causing the driver to lose control and drive into a wall before he took off at high speed out the Dundalk Road, continuously crossing onto the incorrect side of the road.

As gardai attempted to overtake his car, he pulled across - causing the patrol vehicle to veer off the road, before the driver regained control.

The defendant was ultimately arrested after he lost control and crashed and his co-accused was found to have €1,250 in cash on them.

Judge Dara Hayes noted the defendant lives with and is the sole carer for his 84 year old mother who has dementia and it was accepted that the offending was out of character for the defendant who had no previous convictions had has not come to subsequent adverse attention.

However, the judge said Mr McGuinness had attempted to escape gardai by colliding with the garda vehicle a number of times, exposing them to danger and risk, although thankfully they were not seriously injured.

He imposed concurrent sentences of two years and three months with the final 12 months suspended on him entering a good behaviour bond.

A two year driving disqualification was also imposed.