A man who attacked two gardaí after admitting “he was off his face on drugs” has been handed a two-year prison sentence.
Daniel Ryan (24), of Melrose Grove, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of assault causing harm committed on May 1st, 2023, reports Breaking News.
He also admitted to possessing cocaine for sale or supply on January 8th, 2019, after investigators linked his fingerprints to a discarded lunchbox that contained the drugs.
Detective Garda Colin McElligott told the court the assault occurred five months after Ryan had been charged in connection with the cocaine offence, reports Breaking News.
The court heard that in January 2019, two gardaí on mobile patrol observed two men jump over a railing and flee on foot.
Officers exited their patrol vehicle, and while Ryan managed to escape, one garda located a clear plastic lunchbox and arrested the other individual, reports Breaking News.
When gardaí later returned to the area, they discovered multiple individually wrapped packages totalling 24.6 grams of crack cocaine and heroin with a combined street value of €3,408.
DNA and fingerprint tests conducted on the lunchbox confirmed a match to Ryan, who was arrested on October 7th, 2021, and formally charged on December 12th, 2022, reports Breaking News.
On May 1st, 2023, gardaí approached three occupants inside a Kia Sportage parked on a Clondalkin footpath. Officers informed one individual there were active bench warrants for his arrest.
Ryan shouted that he would break Garda Mark Walsh’s jaw, before striking him in the face with his right fist, reports Breaking News.
Ryan also punched Garda Grace Lumsden in the face, causing her to fall backward and experience pain and blurred vision.
Garda Walsh also reported suffering pain as a result of the assault. Neither officer required medical treatment and both resumed duty the following day, reports Breaking News.
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A search of Ryan’s residence was carried out, and the vehicle was confirmed to be registered in his name. He denied the assaults during questioning but was charged later that same day.
Prosecuting counsel Derek Cooney BL informed the court that a Section 3 assault, or assault causing harm, carries a potential sentence of up to five years, whereas a Section 19 assault on a garda can lead to a seven-year term, reports Breaking News.
Ryan has 36 prior convictions, including for aggravated burglary, burglary, assault causing harm, theft, money laundering, and 20 road traffic offences.
He also has a previous conviction for obstructing a police officer, as well as for public order, criminal damage, and drug-related offences, reports Breaking News.
At the time of the assaults, Ryan was on bail. He is currently serving a five-and-a-half-year sentence, which is due to conclude in November 2028.
Under cross-examination, Det Gda McElligott accepted defence counsel Keith Spencer BL’s suggestion that Ryan was “off his face on drugs” and that he denied ever intending to strike a woman, reports Breaking News.
A psychological report presented to the court outlined Ryan’s history of substance abuse, exposure, and a difficult upbringing, his lawyer added, reports Breaking News.
When sentencing on Tuesday, Judge Pauline Codd imposed a total prison term of three and a half years, with portions to run consecutively.
Judge Codd acknowledged that Ryan did not have ownership of the drugs but said his DNA proved some level of involvement, reports Breaking News.
She handed down a one-year sentence for the drug charge, taking into account Ryan’s positive engagement with rehabilitation services and his “commitment to pursuing an alternative lifestyle”, reports Breaking News.
Judge Codd further noted Ryan’s remorse and his guilty pleas in the assault case.
For those offences, she imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence, which must run consecutively to the one-year term for the drug offence, resulting in a combined sentence of three and a half years, reports Breaking News.
Judge Codd suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions, including that Ryan engage with the Probation Service for a period of 18 months, reports Breaking News.
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