Courts / Dublin / Report
Garda describes moment he stared down 'two black barrels of shotgun'
Summary
In a Dublin court hearing, Garda Michael Fox recounted the terror he felt when Michael Donoghue, a 21‑year‑old from Rathfarnham, brandished a double‑barrel shotgun at a patrol car. Fox said he believed he would be killed for doing his job and that his mother would never recover from his death. He described his life flashing before his eyes and crying for fifteen minutes after the incident. The court heard that Donoghue pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and making threats to kill, and that the shotgun was later found unloaded. The case was adjourned to 27 November for sentencing, with Donoghue remanded in custody until then. The hearing also included victim impact statements from three Gardaí, all of whom expressed profound fear and lasting trauma from the encounter. The statements highlighted the unexpected danger Gardaí face in the line of duty and the lasting psychological effects on the officers involved.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Garda describes moment he stared down 'two black barrels of shotgun'. Charges or matters: possession of a firearm and making threats to kill at his home on December 20, 2023. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 20, 2023 Incident
- November 27 Adjournment
- Christmas Incident
- 2024-11-19 Publication
Why: On his way home later he had to pull his car over and he "cried continuously for 15 minutes straight because of the fear". CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: possession of a firearm and making threats to kill at his home on December 20, 2023 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case to November 27 next for sentence and remanded Donoghue in continuing custody until that date.; Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case to November 27 next for sentence and remanded Donoghue in continuing custody until that date.
Places mentioned
- Stocking Lane
- Rathfarnham
- Dublin
Topics
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