'Menace' sentenced to 10 years for crowbar attack
A "menace" who viciously attacked a man after being caught trying to steal his motorbike has been sentenced to 10 years.
Gary O’Hare (aged 23) knocked the victim’s bottom teeth out with a crowbar while his co-accused, who was not before the court, threw cavity blocks at him. The motorbike owner was left requiring false teeth and unable to work.
O’Hare was also sentenced for the hijacking of a car using a fake gun and ramming a garda car after a high-speed chase. His co-accused, Glen Hutch (aged 23), was sentenced to five years with two suspended for his role in the offence.
Judge Patrick McCartan called it “a most serious and vicious attack on an innocent man” and said it was “remarkable” he survived the assault at all. He sentenced O’Hare to a three-year term for the assault and seven years for the hijacking, to run consecutively with each other. The judge suspended the final four years on condition O’Hare remains drug free.
O’Hare, of Hampton Wood, St Margarets Road, Finglas, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting the motorbike owner at Cardiffsbridge Road, Finglas early on August 21, 2009.
He also pleaded guilty to hijacking, possession of an imitation firearm and dangerous driving at Berryfield Road, Finglas on January 22, 2010.
Hutch, of Mellowes Road, Finglas, pleaded guilty to hijacking at the same place and time. O’Hare has 39 previous convictions for minor matters at district court level while Hutch has 16.
Garda Ronan Farrelly told Mr Patrick McGrath BL, prosecuting, that the victim saw two men with his motorbike on Cardiffsbridge Road. The owner approached the men and told O’Hare to get off his bike.
O’Hare leapt off the bike, smashed a hammer into his face, then took up a crowbar and began beating him about the arms and legs.
O’Hare’s accomplice threw several cinder blocks which hit man in the chest.
He said O’Hare tried to restart the motorbike before fleeing the scene with the other man, leaving the victim to flag down a passing garda car.
The garda revealed that O’Hare, who was arrested close to the scene, didn’t answer any questions during three subsequent interviews
Gda Farrelly told Mr McGrath that the victim had to have four teeth removed from his bottom row after the attack, that he must wear a splint permanently on his left arm and had numerous follow-up hospital visits. He said he can no longer work as a manual labourer and was still undergoing rehabilitation 18 months later.
Garda John Walsh gave evidence that the hijacking victim was sitting in his car chatting to someone when O’Hare came to the window and put a gun against it. He shouted at the victim to “get out of the fucking car” while pointing the gun at him.
The man got out and threw the keys at the hijackers. O’Hare and Hutch then got in and O’Hare sped off. They met a garda patrol car which chased them up Cardiffbridge Road. Gda Walsh said the men were speeding through red lights, driving on the wrong side of the road and mounting the footpath.
At Cappagh Avenue it skidded out of control, turned and rammed the garda car. It stopped a short distance later and both men were arrested. They refused to co-operate in interview.
Mr Dean Kelly BL, defending O’Hare, said he was “a menace” who had been constantly on drugs. He submitted that he came from a dysfunctional background but was trying to get drug free.
Counsel for Hutch, Mr Thomas Pearse BL, said his client wanted to apologise to the victim, the court and gardaí. He added that his Hutch’s father was paralysed and he was his main carer.
