Garda was forced to pepper-spray a youth armed with a meat cleaver

By Conor Gallagher

A GARDA had to use his pepper-pray three times on two youths, one of whom was armed with a meat cleaver, a court has heard.

Craig Moloney (21), who was armed with an iron bar, and his accomplice, who was armed with the meat cleaver, had just robbed a Spar when Garda Cathal McGeoghan arrived at the scene. Garda McGeoghan managed to subdue and arrest Moloney shortly after.

The accomplice was arrested later with the help of the garda helicopter.

Moloney, of Cashel Road, Crumlin, was also before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing a bar worker’s bike before going into the bar and throwing glass bottles around. He will be sentenced in May 05, 2017.

Moloney pleaded guilty to theft and assault causing harm at Tom Kelly Flat Complex on November 25, 2011 and robbery at Spar on Clogher Road a week later on November 30, 2011.

On the day of the robbery Garda McGeoghan and his colleague were in a patrol car when they saw Moloney and his co-accused exit the Spar shop where they had just taken €358 from the cashier.

The gardai shouted to the robbers who then approached the car with their weapons. Garda McGeoghan said he feared for his safety so he used his pepper-spray on the men which caused them to run.

Garda McGeoghan gave chase as Moloney and his accomplice threw away the money. The other garda used the car to block the men’s escape.

Moloney then approached Garda McGeoghan with the bar raised over his head before the garda pepper-sprayed him again and got him to the ground.

At this point the man armed with the cleaver was swinging it at the other garda. He then advanced on Garda McGeoghan who was kneeling on the ground arresting Moloney.

The garda again used his pepper-spray causing the man to flee. He was arrested a short time later.

The week previously two barmen in the George Bernard Shaw pub noticed their bikes had been taken. They went looking for them in the flats across the road where they found Moloney and another person standing beside the bikes.

There was an argument and at one point Moloney jumped up and kicked one of the barmen in the eye. The barmen fled back to the bar but were followed by Moloney and the other man.

They picked up large glass bottles and threw them around the pub before Moloney attacked one of the barmen with a barstool.

Moloney was arrested shortly afterwards. When he was shown CCTV of him following the barmen into the pub, he said: “I didn’t follow anyone, you can’t make out my face.”

Moloney later pleaded guilty. He has several previous convictions for minor matters such as public order and road traffic offences.

Defence counsel James Dwyer BL said Moloney was a talented footballer but had to quit because he suffers from epilepsy.

This led to him becoming involved in drunk and drugs. Counsel said his client wanted to apologise to all his victims.

Judge Karen O’Connor put the matter back to April for a probation report but said this did not mean she was ruling out a custodial sentence.