Cousins plead guilty to attacking gardaí
03/11/2008 - 19:25:39Two Cabra cousins who launched an attack on gardai arresting a youth in their neighbourhood leaving a female garda suffering chronic back pain have had sentencing adjourned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Carl Cullen (aged 20) of Dingle Road, also faces sentence for assaulting another garda who was trying to arrest him, for assaulting a man after a party and for a number of road traffic offences three years ago.
Paul Cullen (aged 21) of Fassaugh Avenue, is serving a six-year sentence imposed in February for storing almost €56,000 of cannabis resin to clear drug debts as he was in fear of his life after receiving a bullet in the post.
He claimed the garda assault occurred as he was "under stress" while on bail for the drugs offence.
Carl and Paul Cullen pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Amanda Lynch on November 30, 2007. Paul also pleaded guilty to taking possession of an official garda weapon and Carl pleaded guilty to possession of a knuckle dusters on the same date.
Carl further pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Eamon Ryan on April 10, 2008 and assaulting Mr Joseph Kavanagh on August 26, 2007.
He also pleaded guilty to unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving and driving without insurance or a licence on January 30, 2005.
Judge Katherine Delahunt adjourned sentencing until later this month to allow her read reports handed into court.
Detective Sergeant Fergal O’Flaherty told Mr Pieter Le Viert BL, prosecuting, that Gda Lynch, Garda Daniel Sweeney and student Garda Zihao Weng were attempting to arrest a youth on Fassaugh Avenue when he shouted to a friend: "Go get the Cullys."
Gda Lynch saw the two Cullens approach down the road shortly afterwards in an aggressive manner. She drew her official garda weapon, an ASP or extendable baton, and told Carl to stay back but he hit her on the head. Paul took her weapon hitting her until she fell down and kicked her in the stomach.
Gda Sweeney hit Paul to the legs and arms with his baton and Paul attempted unsuccessfully to grab it.
When Gda Lynch was able to get up she saw student Gda Weng being kicked by Carl, Paul came towards her again with the weapon so she got into the car and locked the door until reinforcements arrived.
Det Gda O’Flaherty said when he arrived he saw Carl and another person punching and kicking student Gda Weng in the road. He shouted at Carl to stop and he ran off. He saw two other garda approaching Paul who was walking backwards waving the baton at them while they shouted at him to drop it.
Det Gda O’Flaherty said he drew his garda firearm and told Paul to drop the weapon. He lowered the baton and a struggle ensued. Carl ran over to help his cousin and tried to grab a baton but was restrained and handcuffed. Both Cullens were arrested and expressed remorse for the incident when interviewed.
Gda Lynch was detained in hospital for 17 hours and passed urine in her blood for a week afterwards due to a spleen injury. She also suffered facial injuries and blurred vision as well as ongoing chronic back pain.
Gda Sweeny and Gda Weng suffered facial injuries and were nervous about going back out on patrol.
Det Gda O’Flaherty said Carl had 14 previous convictions and Paul had 11 previous convictions.
Gda Ryan told Judge Delahunt that he suffered a broken nose, bruises to his face and a cut to his arm after Carl Cullen assaulted him and grabbed his baton while he was trying to arrest him in April 2008.
Carl punched Gda Ryan in the face twice and managed to grab his baton and hit him a number of times to the arm and head. Gda Ryan’s access to his patrol car was obstructed by a crowd of youths and before he was able to radio for help Carl told him: "I will f***ing kill you if you ever come back."
Garda Declan Grant told Mr Le Viert that Mr Kavanagh was assaulted by Carl and a group of youths in August 2007 after being chased from a party in a house on Fassaugh Avenue. He was knocked by to the ground from a punch by Carl in the garden and then ran down the road to a church grounds.
Gda Grant said Mr Kavanagh was then punched, kicked and stabbed in the hand by a number of youths.
Garda Aaran Hoey said Carl had crashed a stolen car into an unmarked garda vehicle when trying to escape a patrol car pursuing him in January 2005.
Three youths ran from the stolen car when it collided with an unmarked car coming onto a roundabout and he followed and arrested Cullen, the driver, who he believed had consumed alcohol.
Carl caused €2,000 damage to the stolen car and €500 damage to the unmarked garda car.
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