Man jailed for using dogs as ‘quasi weapons’ during attempted arrest

A man has been jailed for six months for using his two Alsatian dogs as “quasi weapons” when gardaí attempted to arrest him.

Frank McCarthy (45), of Ballyhandle, Crossbarry, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to obstructing two members of An Garda Síochána, namely Garda Darren Cahalane and Garda Matthew Galvin, on November 23rd, 2017.

The father of two appeared before Cork Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing in connection with the offence on Monday.

Sgt Tom Lehane told the court that Garda Cahalane and Garda Galvin stopped McCarthy in his car at 7.40pm on the day of the offence in Crossbarry.

It was a routine stop but Sgt Lehane said McCarthy failed to stop and drove off towards his home.

Gardaí pursued him to the house and the court heard McCarthy then proceeded “to shout and roar” when they arrived.

“He then lay down on the ground behind the gardaí patrol car so that the car could not reverse. He closed the gate across the exit,” Sgt Lehane said.

Aggression

The court heard that McCarthy had two Alsatian dogs that acted with aggression at the scene and were used by him to prevent the gardaí from arresting him.

The officer had to phone for back up and six members of the armed support unit were dispatched to the scene. Officers had to use incapacitant spray and a taser in order to arrest McCarthy, who the court heard continued to cause problems even after his arrest.

Donal O’Sullivan, barrister for McCarthy, said his client was impacted cognitively on the day of the offence as a result of a head injury he sustained a month earlier.

“He acknowledges his behaviour was appalling and atrocious and he cannot understand why he behaved in that way. He has expressed remorse,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

Judge O’Callaghan said the incident was very serious and that the dogs were used as “quasi weapons against An Garda Síochána.”

He jailed McCarthy, who has five previous convictions, for six months.