A 32-year-old man has been granted bail at Limerick District Court after being charged with hijacking a car with a two year old child inside. Noel Price, with an address at Kileely Road, Kileely, was brought before Judge O’Donnell last week and again this week, after a high speed chase on the Old Cratloe Road led to his arrest on Thursday morning of last week.
The man was arrested, charged and cautioned by Garda Neil O’Gorman who gave evidence that the accused made no reply.
Solicitor for the accused, Sarah Ryan, did not originally seek bail for Price, but made a successful application this Wednesday. Judge O’Donnell had remanded the accused in custody and that remand is to continue until the conditions of bail are met. Conditions include that Noel Price sign on daily at a local garda station, provide an alternative address outside Kileely and that a €2,500 independent surety be approved by the court to accompany his own €200 bond. The State indicated that the directions of the DPP were to be canvassed and that further charges may be brought against the man.
Price is charged in connection with the taking of a car on the morning of Thursday January 20 last. The owner of the car, a 32-year-old mother of six, was in a shop at the time of the alleged incident where two underage occupants, aged 12 and 10 years, were forced from the car while a third, a two year old boy, remained strapped in the back.
The two-year-old was later removed from the car a short distance from the scene as armed gardai pursued the vehicle.
After a brief chase, two shots were fired after it is alleged that the car broke through a gardai blockade. No one was injured in the incident.
Price was later arrested on the Knockalisheen Road near Delmege House, held, questioned and charged.
He is to appear in court again via video link February 9 next.
