A Dublin man who was said to have pointed a pump-action shotgun at gardai and tried to flee during an attempted security van robbery in Co Wicklow when a raider was shot dead was refused bail at the Special Criminal Court yesterday.
Mr Stephen Carney (22), of Dolphin House, was one of five men charged in connection with the attempted robbery near Ashford on May 1st.
He is charged with having an assault rifle, a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun and a revolver with intent to endanger life at Cullenmore, Ashford.
Yesterday Det Insp John O'Mahony, who opposed bail, said Mr Carney was one of a group of men who attempted to rob a Securicor van returning to Dublin with "quite a sizeable amount of money". Members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit came on the scene, and it would be alleged that Mr Carney was the driver of a car which had pulled on to the main road, blocking cars coming from Ashford during the raid.
The inspector said it would also be alleged that Mr Carney was armed with a pump-action shotgun and when gardai approached he pointed it at them and shouted at them to get back. He continued to shout at i to get back them and at his accomplices and ran back to his car. He got into the car and attempted to flee, but collided with a Garda car. He then attempted to drive off but collided with a Garda jeep, and his car ended up in a ditch. An assault rifle and handgun were recovered.
Refusing bail, Mr Justice Johnson said the court accepted Det Insp O'Mahony's evidence that he believed Mr Carney would not turn up for trial. He was remanded until July 7th.