A RATHKEALE man who helped his mother and other family members turn their home into a fortress to avoid arrest, has been jailed for 18 months for threatening to kill two Limerick Gardaí.
Michael Ryan, (25) went “nose to nose” with Gardaí in what was described as a hostile and dangerous environment at his home in Fairhill, Rathkeale in June 2013.
Details of the incident were recalled at his sentencing hearing in Limerick Circuit Court on Tuesday.
Judge Tom O’Donnell was told that Gardaí had been alerted, “somewhat dubiously”, to a suspected shed fire in the area but were confronted by a group of men in a car. They were wearing balaclavas and some were armed with weapons.
A stand-off ensued after the gang tried to leave the scene in the car but rammed the gates of the house instead. Michael Ryan was one of the men involved.
Garda Lesley Maloney and Garda Padraig Cronin were put in fear for their lives as they moved to seize the vehicle. A large crowd had gathered and Michael Ryan’s mother, Bridget, called on up to 15 others to repel the Gardaí.
Gardaí said that the Ryan’s home was transformed into a fortress. Threats to “kill the gardai” and “ram the guards” were shouted before Michael Ryan went “nose to nose” with them.
The two Gardaí were forced to retreat before reinforcements were sent to the area.
Michael Ryan was among those arrested and charged with issuing the threats as well as violent disorder.
He was granted bail at the High Court but fled to the UK where he committed a criminal offence and was jailed.
Upon his release and aware that a European Arrest Warrant had been issued against him, he returned to Ireland and pleaded guilty to the offences.
Judge O’Donnell jailed the 25-year-old father-of-one for three years but suspended the final 18 months for a period of five years.
He said that Micahel Ryan had a misguided sense of loyalty but he was still part of a violent incident that was clearly a “frightening experience for the Gardaí involved.
The sentence was backdated to January when Ryan was first remanded in custody.
