A 21-year-old man allegedly “dragged” the owner of a Porsche 911 from his sports car in south Dublin before it was driven erratically around the city and crashed, a court heard.
Cillian Rafferty of Easton Row, Leixlip, Co. Kildare, was arrested on Tuesday night after being found in a crashed 2010-reg Porsche taken in a suspected car-jacking at Northbrook Avenue, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.
The €60,000 Porsche lost a wheel in the city centre, hit other cars and suffered extensive damage after coming to a halt in Palmerstown.
He was charged with robbery and motor theft and faced bail objections when he appeared before Judge Ciaran Liddy at Dublin District Court yesterday/today (Wed).
Defence solicitor Donal Quigley told the court Mr Rafferty denies the charges.
Garda Patrick Spollen alleged that the injured party, 46, was sitting in his Porsche 911 outside his home at 8 pm and was approached by a man shouting, “Get out of the fucking car”.
The motorist stated to gardai that the man “motioned with his fist”, which left him frightened and “in fear for his life”.
According to the owner, he was “dragged from the vehicle”, and it was driven into the city centre.
Members of the public dialled 999 to report the dangerous driving, and at Merchant’s Quay, the car’s “tyre had become disconnected following a collision”.
The Porsche proceeded to the N4 and crashed in Palmerstown.
Garda Spollen said it had significant damage and “may well be written off”. Additional charges could be brought because the stolen car hit several vehicles.
Garda Spollen said it was “distinctive” and lost a wheel in the city centre.
Judge Liddy heard the accused was still in the car when gardai arrived, but under cross-examination, the officer agreed Mr Rafferty was in the passenger seat.
He accepted that no one had identified the defendant as the driver when the car was in the city centre, and CCTV evidence has yet to be obtained. Efforts are underway to find footage, the court heard.
Mr Quigley said the complainant, who gave a description to gardai in his statement, was not in court to be cross-examined, and his client could be deprived of his liberty purely on hearsay evidence.
He said the car was clearly taken, but Mr Rafferty maintained he was a passenger in the car and had been “terrified”.
“We say someone else was driving,” the solicitor submitted.
Judge Liddy noted that the incident began at 8 pm, and the car went through the city centre and stopped 22 minutes later.
He declined Mr Rafferty’s bail application and remanded him in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on August 16.
The judge noted the accused was unemployed and allowed him legal aid.
