A man with a history of violence tried to flee the scene of a hotel burglary by ramming a patrol car and leading gardai on a high speed chase before losing control of his getaway car and crashing into a wall, the Galway District Court heard this week.
The injured driver of the crashed Honda Civic who then attempted to out-run gardai by losing them in a maze of housing estates was later found cowering in a private back garden and was arrested following a violent struggle.
After a lenghty hearing at Monday’s court sitting 30-year-old Christopher Quigley of 48 Carn Ard, Circular Road, was convicted on the offences of burglary, dangerous driving, criminal damage, and hit and run, and sentenced to a total of 24 months and disqualified from driving for 10 years.
Glenlo Abbey Hotel staff gave evidence that on April 3, 2009, at around 4am a suspicious vehicle was seen in the hotel car park and security were informed. A man was then seen a short time later in the downstairs bar by the night porter who pressed the panic alarm. The hotel manager arrived at 5am and found that the window and a number of bottles had been broken in the bar. He then noticed that the cash register, containing “loose change”, and bottles containing “high-end liquor” were taken.
Garda Padraig Monaghan and Garda Sean McHugh received a call to go to the hotel at 4.57am and when they arrived they were met at the entrance gates by a white Honda Civic driven by the defendant. In an attempt to escape Quigley drove the Honda directly into the right hand side of the patrol car before taking a right turn in the direction of Moycullen. The getaway car continued at high speed through Tonabrockey Cross and then went onto Clybaun Road, Western Distributor Road, and Bóthar Stiofan.
The chase came to an abrupt halt when the Honda Civic attempted to go right at the junction of Bóthar Stiofan and Rahoon Road but took the corner too quickly and crashed into a wall. As the patrol car neared the two Honda Civic occupants were seen getting out and running in opposite directions. Quigley was seen clambering over a wall and a description of him was circulated to other gardai. A cash register belonging to the hotel was also found in the back seat of the car.
Sgt Des Beirne gave evidence that he had seen two bulges in the front windscreen which was consistant with two occupants hitting it. He then conducted house to house searches in the area and found Quigley in the back garden of a house in Riasc Na Ri. Sgt Beirne said that Quigley was found “cowering” near the back door of the house and had blood coming from a head injury which was consistent with trauma received in a car accident. There followed a violent struggle until Sgt Beirne managed to subdue and arrest Quigley.
During interviewing Quigley denied being involved in the burglary or having ever been in the car. When asked if he was in the driver’s seat, he replied: “You didn’t see me drive.” When questioned about jumping over the wall and being found in the back garden Quigley insisted that he had been out for his usual walk on the Prom that morning and used that route regularly as a short cut to his house. He added: “I was going along the wall and I fell off it.”
Under questioning by defence solicitor Valerie Corcoran, who maintained that her client had not been the driver, Garda Monaghan said that he was “100 per cent sure” it was Quigley driving.
The court further heard that large drops of blood were found on the driver’s seat and samples were sent for testing. A certificate from the forensics laboratory at Garda Headquarters stated that this sample matched a DNA profile taken from Quigley after his arrest.
Ms Corcoran then stressed that there was no evidence to show that her client had entered the hotel as the night porter who had raised the alarm had not been able to identify the person seen on the premises.
However, Judge Fahy replied that Quigley would be convicted for these “serious” offences. “So intent was he on making his escape that he rammed a Garda car,” said Judge Fahy who was then told that Quigley has 15 previous convictions which included robbery and intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm.
“This man has a serious record and when arrested he put up a violent struggle because his background is a violent one,” said Judge Fahy before sentencing.
