Courts / Wicklow / Report

Man who rammed gates at key State buildings was suffering from 'paranoid delusion', court told

Date
2025-04-10

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Bray

County
Wicklow

Summary

David O'Callaghan, 41, pleaded guilty to driving a white Ford Transit van into gates at Leinster House, Aras An Uachtaráin and the Custom House on 2 August, causing €60 000 of damage. He was found to have been suffering from a paranoid delusion and later diagnosed with schizophrenia, for which he is receiving treatment. Garda Niamh McCarthy described how O'Callaghan performed a sweeping u‑turn in front of the Aras gates, reversed into them, then drove to the Custom House and repeated the manoeuvre, breaching the gates and causing about €2 000 of damage. At Leinster House he struck three sets of gates in quick succession, breaching the Ministers' Entrance gate and damaging a perimeter gate, resulting in over €52 000 of damage. He admitted consuming alcohol and cocaine that evening and claimed he believed his food had been spiked.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man who rammed gates at key State buildings was suffering from 'paranoid delusion', court told. Charges or matters: driving into a rear gate of Leinster House on August 2 last. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

August 2 Hearing Or Sentence
May 6 Adjournment
2025-04-10 Publication

Case subjects

David O'Callaghan

Defendant

Charges: driving into a rear gate of Leinster House on August 2 last (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Counsel outlined that the report indicates a treatment plan for his client, with O'Callaghan's father to contact the relevant services if his son relapses, and asked the court not to impose an immediate custodial sentence. Judge Nolan adjourned the sentence until May 6 next for finalisation and directed the Probation Services to prepare conditions for O'Callaghan's supervision.; Judge Nolan adjourned the sentence until May 6 next for finalisation and directed the Probation Services to prepare conditions for O'Callaghan's supervision.