Garda forced to leap from path of car driven by Donegal man at centre of cocaine probe

A Donegal Garda was forced to leap out of the path of an oncoming car - driven by a man who later turned out to be at the centre of a cocaine dealing probe in Letterkenny.

Michael Connors has admitted a catalogue of serious offences including endangerment as well as drug-dealing and money laundering.

Letterkenny Circuit Court heard how Connors was on bail for an incident in which he struck a Garda with a motor vehicle when he was stung in an undercover operation.

The 23-year-old father-of-two, with an address at Ballymacool Wood, Letterkenny and now of Cashelshanaghan, Letterkenny, was found to have been lavishly spending on trips to boxing in the Middle East as well as expensive purchases from Louis Vuitton and Brown Thomas during a time when he was in receipt of Social Welfare.

Detective Sergeant Gerry Farry outlined the case to State Barrister Ms Fiona Crawford BL.

Detective Sergeant Farry told how he and a colleague, Garda Anthony Marren, were carrying out enquiries on November 17, 2020. 

He said when Garda Marren made attempts to chat to Connors and identified himself, the accused man began running towards a vehicle.

The court was told that Connors drove into a driveway of another house, reversed into the road and when he came out, Garda Marren was standing in the middle of the road to block Connors’ exit.

Garda Marren put out his left arm to signal Connors to stop, but the defendant began revving the car and spinning the wheels.

In a statement, Garda Marren told how the vehicle was moving towards him and realised that Connors had “no intention of complying with the instruction to stop”. While the Garda moved away from the front of the vehicle, narrowly avoiding being run over, he was struck on the body, causing him to spin and fall.

Connors failed to remain at the scene and as he left Detective Sergeant Farry recalled how he was met by a navy coloured Volkswagen Passat and he shone the torch. He recognised Connors as the sole occupant of the vehicle and he told the court that Connors blew the horn as he passed. 

While counsel for Connors said the accused did not know that Garda Marren was an undercover member of the force, Detective Sergeant Farry said his colleague was wearing a stab vest with ‘Garda’ written on it and was also wearing a Garda utility belt.

Detective Sergeant Gerry Farry. (North West Newspix)

Garda Marren received medical attention and has been absent from work since. He told how the incident played around his head and had trouble sleeping.

When the Passat was seized and examined, a Garda inspector said the car was consistent with one that was involved in a road traffic collision.

When quizzed by detectives, Connors said he recalled “this running man” coming towards him in plain clothes and a mask up to his eyes. Connors claimed that he drove around Garda Marren and added: “No-one was hit with my car”.

Connors, who has three previous convictions, pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment, contrary to section 13 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Persons Act, 1997 and to a charge of dangerous driving contrary to section 53 (1) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 as substituted by section 4 of the Road Traffic (No 2) Act 2011.

Charges of failing to stop, failing to record an occurrence off a collision and impeding or obstructing a member of An Garda Síochána were taken into consideration.

A victim impact statement by Garda Marren was handed into the court, but not read aloud in court. 

Connors’ barrister, Mr Peter Nolan BL, said that his client had just passed his driving test the same day and felt “a sense of achievement”.

Mr Nolan said at the time Connors felt “under threat”, relating to things said on social media, and was being “extra vigilant”. 

“He said his life was in danger and he felt threatened,” Mr Nolan said. He added that Connors insisted that he had driven “around” the male who he said came running towards him.

A probation report said that Connors was “at variance” with the prosecution account as it had indicated the impossibility of driving around the Garda due to the presence of two parked vehicles.

Connors was considered as being a moderate risk of reoffending.

Mr Nolan said Connors lives with his wife and two children and the family are on the waiting list for a Council house.

He said Connors showed promise as a boxer in his younger years and is now a “devoted” father-of-two who also coaches young boys in the gym.

“He comes before the court as someone who has potential you normally do not see from this background,” Me Nolan said.

“There was a serious feud going on between Connors and others, he jumped to the wrong conclusion entirely and injured a member of An Garda Síochána.”

Mr Nolan added that his client accepts that he is in a “precarious” position.

Connors also pleaded guilty to charges related to drug-dealing.

Connors pleaded guilty to a charge of money laundering of property, being the proceeds of criminal conduct, contrary to section 7 (1) (a), 7 (1) (b) and 7 (3) of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, relating to various dates.

He also pleaded guilty to unlawfully having possession of a controlled drug, cocaine, for the purpose of unlawfully selling or otherwise supplying it to another, contrary to section 15 and section 27 (as amended by section 6 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1984) of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977.

He entered a further plea of guilty to being the occupier of a vehicle and allowing the sale, supply or distribution of a controlled drug, cocaine, contrary to section 19 (1) (g) of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1997 as amended.

Connors was nabbed as part of an investigation carried out by local Gardai supported by a national undercover unit.

Contact was made by one undercover member with a Snapchat account on September 28, 2021 and an arrangement made to purchase cocaine. A dark Volkswagen Golf pulled up a short time later and a male opened the back door and handed him a ziplock bag containing what was later confirmed as cocaine. Connors was identified as being the male in the vehicle by local Gardai.

On January 22, 2022, a Garda from an undercover unit contacted the same Snapchat account and arranged to buy cocaine. A Volkswagen Passat being driven by Connors pulled up and a female handed the undercover detective a ziplock bag containing cocaine. 

Detectives obtained bank accounts relating to Connors and discovered that 53 lodgements totalling €20,821 had been made to an account at Permanent TSB. 

Among the other transactions the accounts showed were €909.89 to Love Holidays, €1,790 to Louis Vuitton and a large payment to Brown Thomas. A large payment for dental surgery was carried out while Connors was also believed to have travelled to Dubai for a professional boxing show.

At the time, he was receiving €112 a week and this rose to €250 per week in Jobseekers payment while he was also receiving €140 per month for child benefit. 

Detective Sergeant Farry told the court that there was “a lot of resources” put into this investigation.

Mr Simon Gillespie BL, representing Connors in this matter, said his client has accepted culpability and there are co-defendants who are close family.

“He was a young man at the time of the offences - and still is,” Mr Gillespie said. “He felt that he had no money. He wasn’t in debt, but had limited disposable income. He was susceptible at the time to social media influence and felt envious of others who had nice clothes and material things.”

Mr Gillespie said Connors accepts culpability and acknowledges the seriousness of the offences.

“He is a young man who has so much potential,” Mr Gillespie said. “I would ask the court to give the young man a chance.”

Connors was remanded on continuing bail for sentencing.