TWO men involved in an eight hour rampage of burglaries and car thefts from county Limerick homes, including the home of one of the region’s top gardaí were jailed for four years at Limerick Circuit Court on Tuesday. Owen Baily (19), Rossa Avenue, Mulgrave Street, Limerick; Jason Curtin (20), Railway House, Spitland, Old Cork Road; Lisa O’Callaghan (21), Keane Street, Limerick and a 16-year-old teenager faced a series of charges including violent disorder, resisting arrest, the unlawful taking of cars, burglary and assault causing harm.
The court heard of how Ms O’Callaghan helped Jason Curtin and Owen Baily take her father’s car away from Keane Street shortly before 1am on February 4 last.
Baily, who had 54 previous convictions, had been released on bail by Limerick District Court just hours earlier and Jason Curtin, who had 85 previous convictions, had been granted bail the day before at the same court.
They collected the 16-year-old teenager a short distance away and the four continued to county Limerick where they raided the home of an elderly pensioner and took a box of wine before continuing on to the home of Detective Superintendent Jim Browne.
The two men tried to gain entry to the house through a rear door but they activated sensor lighting and this alerted Supt. Browne’s daughter Niamh who is also a Garda. After she raised the alarm with her father, the gang made good their escape and fled from the scene at high-speed.
Both garda Brown and her father gave chase in Ms Browne’s car before the gang’s car stalled at an area on the country roads and the driver, Owen Baily ran through the fields, leaving Jason Curtin, Lisa O’Callaghan and the 16-year-old teenager in the car. Niamh Browne removed the car keys while her father attempted to arrest the three.
Jason Curtin managed to break out of the car while the 16-year-old girl tried to hit Garda Browne with one of the wine bottles only to be blocked by her father.
A violent struggle ensued with both Supt. Brown and his daughter suffering injuries including soft tissue bruising, broken and fractured fingers, a chipped bone and abrasions.
Owen Baily, returned to the scene and began kicking and punching Supt Browne as he held Jason Curtin in a headlock. He also attempted to take Ms Browne’s car but was unable to do so as she had removed the keys.
Managing to final break free, the gang entered another nearby home where they stole car keys from the pocket of the homeowner as he slept on a couch and drove off in two Mercedes Benz cars towards the Patrickswell area.
The two men then burgled an engineering premises in Patrickswell before more gardai arrived when they set off an intruder alarm.
Another violent struggle ensued before all four were arrested shortly before 8am. Pepper spray was used in the arrest of two men as they attacked the pursuing gardai.
At Tuesday’s sitting of the Circuit Criminal Court, Jason Curtin pleaded guilty to seven charges including two counts of burglary, the unlawful taking of a car, violent disorder, assault causing harm and obstruction.
Owen Baily pleaded guilty to eight charges including the unlawful taking of a car, having possession of a stolen car, two counts of burglary, violent disorder, two counts of resisting arrest and trespass.
21-year-old Lisa O’Callaghan, who had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful possession of cars, violent disorder and one count of burglary.
The 16-year-old teenager pleaded guilty to seven charges including assaulting Supt Brown, possession of an article, violent disorder, two counts of unlawful taking of cars and two counts of burglary.
Judge Carroll Moran jailed the two men for four years and suspended the last year of the jail term for a period of five years.
Lisa O’Callaghan, who told the court that she had no further contact with the “bad crowd that she got involved with”, had her case adjourned for a year pending her good behaviour.
The case against the 16-year-old teenager, who cannot be named, is to appear before the court again in February where a report from the Probation Services will be submitted.
