Man doused Garda car in petrol before setting it ablaze

A man who torched a Garda patrol car outside Castlefin garda station will be sentenced on Friday

Gary McGinley has pleaded guilty to an arson attack on January 21, 2023.

The 36-year-old, with an address at Emmett Park in Castlefin, was identified dousing the car in petrol before setting it alight.

An off-duty Garda, who happened to be passing by the station, managed put out the blaze with a fire extinguisher.

Gardai received a report at 4.10am that a patrol car outside Castlefin Garda Station was on fire.  The car was just eight feet from the station, which was unmanned at the time.

Detective Garda Robin Doyle told Ms Fiona Crawford BL, counsel for the State, that McGinley was identified by gardai who viewed CCTV. He was seen running towards the patrol car and dousing it with petrol. McGinley set the ground on fire and the car, a 141 Hyundai i30, instantly burst into flames.

Armed with a search warrant, gardai arrived at the home of McGinley at Emmet Park. Members of the Armed Support United (ASU) gained entry by force after McGinley initially resisted the entry of the officers.

McGinley became aggressive before he was removed from the property and taken to Letterkenny garda station.

In an interview, McGinley admitted: ‘I just burned the patrol car. There was nothing more to it’.

McGinley bowed his head and did not look at the screen when the CCTV was played to him by detectives.

The total value of the car, including €7,500 for a fit-out of the vehicle, was €17,500 when it was torched.

McGinley, who has 18 previous convictions, was on bail at the time of the incident in relation to District Court matters.

Mr Peter Nolan BL, McGinley’s barrister, said his client is a settled traveller who described his childhood as ‘a war’. McGinley was suspended 12 times before leaving school at the age of 16. He worked ‘on and off’ as a labourer and described himself as being depressed since seven or eight years of age and feeling as if he didn’t fit in.

McGinley has dabbled in drugs, including magic mushrooms, ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis while he used heroin on one occasion. The court heard that McGinley previously attempted self harm.

Under the influence of drugs, McGinley believed that the Illuminati were messaging him and ‘he believed he was the special one’, Mr Nolan said. The incident, he said, represented ‘a cry for help’.

“He accepts that his behaviour was reckless,” Mr Nolan said. “The burning of the patrol car was reprehensible. It was a cry for help and it’s unfortunate that he chose this way.

“He commenced drinking at the age of 13 or 14 and he now finds himself in a situation where he suffers from delusions.”

Mr Nolan said McGinley cooperated fully with the gardai and was before the court on a signed plea.

“I would ask the court to be as lenient as possible and give him some light,” Mr Nolan added, quoting his client as having told him: ‘My fucking life has been fucking awful’.

Mr Nolan said McGinley wished to tender an apology, that he didn’t mean to cause harm and he knew the station was unoccupied at the time.

Judge John Aylmer remanded McGinley on continuing bail and adjourned the matter until Friday morning when he will sentence the accused.