Courts / Dublin / Report

Man who wanted to "go out in a blaze of glory" fired 37 shots at gardai

Date
2017-06-01

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Tallaght

County
Dublin

Summary

Patrick Kinch, aged 48, was jailed after he fired 37 shotgun rounds at Gardaí in a 15‑hour siege at his Deerpark Square home on 20 December 2015. He claimed he wanted to "go out in a blaze of glory" and feared he would not reach heaven if he killed himself. Kinch pleaded guilty to endangering Gardaí, damaging the house and causing over €7,000 in damage to a Garda vehicle. He was sentenced to ten years, with Judge Martin Nolan suspending the final three and a half years. The siege began when his partner, Natasha Donnelly, fled the house after witnessing Kinch's erratic behaviour and alerted Gardaí. Garda Rory Maher described how Kinch repeatedly fired at Gardaí from windows, demanding they shoot him, and ultimately threw the unloaded shotgun out the window before being arrested. The court noted Kinch's 33 prior convictions and his history of psychiatric care. The judge praised Gardaí for restraint and professionalism.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man who wanted to "go out in a blaze of glory" fired 37 shots at gardai. Charges or matters: endangering gardaí by firing at them with a stolen sawn-off shotgun during a siege that lasted almost fifteen hours; damaging the house where the siege took place and to causing over €7,000 worth of damage to a Garda vehicle. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

December 20th 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
Christmas Other
2017-06-01 Publication

Case subjects

Patrick Kinch

Defendant

Charges: endangering gardaí by firing at them with a stolen sawn-off shotgun during a siege that lasted almost fifteen hours; damaging the house where the siege took place and to causing over €7,000 worth of damage to a Garda vehicle (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty