Limerick man accused of hijacking car on motorway expected to seek bail

A LIMERICK man who is accused of hijacking a car on a busy motorway is expected to apply for bail later this week.

Francis Casey, aged 28, who has an address at Clonlong Halting Site, Southill, appeared before a special court sitting in Kilmallock last week.

He faces a number of charges including that he unlawfully seized a Ford S-Max car on the northbound carriageway of the M7 near Portlaoise on Easter Sunday.

That offence -  under the provisions of the Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act, 1976 - is alleged to have occurred at a location between junction 17 and Junction 16 on the motorway.

Mr Casey is also accused of making threats to cause criminal damage at O'Malley Park Southill on  Easter Sunday and with stealing €42 worth of diesel from a service station in Portlaoise.

It is alleged the defendant, who was arrested in the Tallaght area of Dublin, had asked another man for a lift from Limerick to Portlaoise earlier on Easter Sunday.

Gardai have indicated they will be opposing any application for bail and a bail hearing was due to be heard before Judge Patricia Harney at Limerick District Court on Friday.

However, when the case was called, the judge was told a “sick cert” had been issued by the authorities and that Mr Casey was not present in court.

No further details were outlined during the procedural hearing and solicitor Darach McCarthy asked that the matter be listed again tomorrow.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.