THE YOUTH accused of driving a car which caused serious injury to a garda in Letterkenny last week has been admitted to hospital with a chest infection.
Jamie McGrenaghan, of Sessiagh, Fanad, who can now be named after he turned 18 on Wednesday, was due to appear before Letterkenny District Court yesterday. Judge Conall Gibbons heard that the defendant was not present in court because he had been admitted to hospital.
Mr McGrenaghan and his co-accused, Cathal Dunleavy (19) of Meentagh, Glenvar, were both remanded in custody to appear before Harristown District Court on April 17th at 10.30am.
At Glenties District Court last Friday, Mr McGrenaghan was accused of dangerous driving at Tara Court, Letterkenny, causing injury to Garda Robert McCallion. He was also charged with theft of a motor vehicle.
Mr Dunleavy was charged with theft of a motor vehicle and with allowing himself to be carried in a motor vehicle while knowing or believing it to be stolen.
Last week, Mr McGrenaghan appeared in Glenties court with a large abrasion on the left side of his forehead and scratches on his nose. Judge Gibbons was told by prosecuting inspector Sylvie Henry that they occurred during the incident leading to the charges.
Insp David Murphy told this week’s sitting of Letterkenny Court that he was seeking a continued remand in custody to St Patrick’s Institution and for Mr Dunleavy to appear before Cloverhill District Court on April 16th.
The judge was told by the inspector that a “substantial file” is being prepared in relation to the case.
Mr Dunleavy’s solicitor, Frank Dorrian, asked the judge to remand his client to Castlerea Prison rather than St Patrick’s Institution. Judge Gibbons told Mr Dorrian the court could not determine where the defendant would be sent and added that was a matter for the executive.
“My function is to remand him to another court. The place where a person is held is a matter of law,” he stated.
Mr Dorrian then suggested that the situation might be helped if Judge Gibbons were to remand Mr Dunleavy to Harristown District Court which is the relevant court for Castlerea rather than Cloverhill which would facilitate St Patrick’s Institution. He added that the remand prison for the Donegal district is Castlerea.
The judge agreed to remand both defendants to Harristown District Court.