Garda injured in ammonia attack after stopping stolen car in Dublin released from hospital

A garda who was sprayed in the face with ammonia while on patrol in central Dublin on Thursday has been released from hospital.

The male garda, who is aged in his 20s and based at Kilmainham Garda station, was assaulted after he and a colleague stopped a car in the Basin Street area of Dublin 8 at around 8.45pm, and engaged with the two individuals travelling in the vehicle.

During the encounter, the driver assaulted the garda by spraying a liquid in his face which was later found to be ammonia, a compound which can cause burns and irritation.

Both occupants of the car then fled on foot. The car had been reported stolen in the Dublin area earlier this month, a Garda spokesman said, and it was removed from the scene to undergo forensic and technical examinations.

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Investigators believe the car, which had false number plates, may have been used in an earlier burglary.

The garda suffered injuries to his head and neck and was treated in the Mater hospital for non-life threatening injuries before being released. Garda welfare services have been made available to the injured officer, Garda Headquarters said.

Arrest

A woman, aged in her 30s, was later arrested in connection with the incident. She was taken to a Garda station in Dublin city centre and detained in connection with an offence contrary to Section 3 of the Criminal Justice Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1991.

Fianna Fáil’s Seanad Spokesperson for Justice, Robbie Gallagher, condemned the attack and called for the introduction of mandatory minimum prison terms for those convicted of assaulting a member of the emergency services.

“This intolerable attack is a stark reminder of the dangers Gardaí face and the need for us to come down harder on those that think they can attack a Garda or any member of our emergency services,” he said.