Raphoe man accused of hijacking car and ramming Garda denied bail

A Donegal man charged with hijacking a car and later ramming a Garda patrol car has been remanded in custody.

Jonathan Glenn was brought before Letterkenny District Court in connection with a series of incidents alleged to have occurred over seven years ago.

The court heard that Glenn, a 43-year-old who has an address at Beltany, Raphoe, has been living in Derry city.

When Glenn came to the attention of Gardai for being drunk in public in recent days the old charges finally caught up with him.

Glenn faces charges relating to January 14, 2018.

He was charged that he unlawfully seized control of a vehicle, a silver Ford Mondeo, at Lidl, Port Road, Letterkenny. The charge is contrary to section 10 of the Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act, 1976.

Glenn also faces a charge that he unlawfully took possession of the silver Ford Mondeo without the consent of the owner. 

Glenn was also charged with assaulting a woman, who was the owner of the car, at Lidl, Port Road, Letterkenny and with causing criminal damage to the silver Ford Mondeo at the same location.

Glenn has been charged with causing criminal damage of €7,000 to a Garda Patrol Car at Stralongford, Drumkeen on the same date. 

Glenn was charged with dangerous driving at Stralongford, Drumkeen and with driving without a driving licence or insurance. 

Detective Garda John O’Sullivan of Ballybofey Garda Station told the court that Glenn was arrested on May 1, 2026 on a public order matter and was taken to Ballyshannon Garda Station. When he was identified in the station, a number of bench warrants were roused.

There was no application for bail when he initially appeared before Ballyshannon District Court and he was remanded back to Letterkenny District Court. 

He was charged with being in a public place, namely Main Street Ballybofey, while intoxicated to such an extent as would give rise to a reasonable apprehension that he might endanger himself or any other person in his vicinity. The charge is contrary to section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994 as amended by Section 22 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008.

Detective Gardai O’Sullivan told Judge Emile Daly that An Garda Siochana was objecting to bail. 

The objection was made on the O’Callaghan Rules. The court heard that while there was no indication that Glenn would interfere with witnesses or evidence in the case it has been eight years since the bench warrant for Glenn was issued.

Detective Garda O’Sullivan told the court that Gardai had made enquiries in an attempt to execute the warrant at the accused’s address in Raphoe, but Glenn was residing outside of the jurisdiction.

“The State objection is that he will not appear before the court if he gets bail,” Detective Garda O’Sullivan said, 

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) previously directed that the matter proceed by trial on indictment to the Circuit Court.

The defendant also faces further charges.

He is charged that he had in his possession a controlled drug, cannabis, for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying it to another at Tullydonnell, Convoy, on December 23, 2017. Glenn is also charged with being in possession of cannabis on the same date at the same location. 

Glenn is charged with stealing a 70cl bottle of Jameson, valued at €30, and a 70cl bottle of black rum, valued at €24.50, from Dunnes Stores, Oldtown Road, Letterkenny, on February 10, 2018.

He is charged with a public order offence at The Park, Blue Cedars, Ballybofey, on April 20, 2018 and with trespassing on the rear garden of a property at the same location on April 22, 2018.

Mr Donough Cleary, solicitor for Glenn, said his client’s family home is in Raphoe and he would be welcome to stay at that address. Mr Cleary told the court that Glenn was now being medicated for a health issue.

Mr Cleary asked Judge Daly to grant Glenn bail, adding that he was undiagnosed at the time the warrants were issued. 

Judge Daly said it was important to note that Glenn enjoys the presumption of innocence and an entitlement to bail.

However, Judge Daly said that Glenn has not attended court on “a number of occasions”.

“There was a failure over a period of time of the accused to confront the offences which he is charged with and to attend court to face the charges,” Judge Daly said, adding that there were also a number of outstanding fines.

“I am told that he lives in Derry, which is not far from here, and at no point did he present himself.”

The judge noted that an independent surety of €1,000 was previously provided to the court and Glenn also breached that.

On the basis of the accused’s history, Judge Daly said she was satisfied as to the probability of him being a flight risk and refused bail.

Glenn was remanded in custody to appear at a future sitting of Letterkenny District Court via video link.