Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 7498Assault on a garda · Co. Dublin · 22 Sep 2023

Garda sprayed with chemical during attempted arrest in Dublin city centre

On Thursday 22 September 2023, at about 8.45pm, a male garda in his twenties was sprayed in the face or eyes with a suspected ammonia spray while trying to arrest occupants of a stolen car on Basin Street, Dublin 8. A woman, Frances Harrison, aged 31 according to court reports, was arrested at the scene and later charged with assaulting the garda. On 23 September 2023 she was refused bail at Dublin District Court and remanded in custody to appear again the following Wednesday. She maintains her innocence, and the investigation is ongoing.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested22 Sep
    5 reports
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court23 Sep
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A male garda in his twenties, stationed at Kilmainham Station, was sprayed in the face or eyes with a suspected ammonia spray while attempting to arrest occupants of a suspected stolen car.
  • The garda's injuries were not life-threatening, though one report says he was temporarily blinded.
  • The alleged sprayer is named as the driver in one report and as the woman in the passenger seat in another, and both occupants fled on foot.
Where
The incident took place on Basin Street, Dublin 8, in the south inner city.
When
The incident happened on Thursday 22 September 2023 at about 8.45pm, though one report gives 9pm and the court report gives 9.45pm.
Cause
Gardaí stopped a car that had been reported stolen earlier that month, a hire car from GoCar, after it was seen being driven at speed with no lights.
Weapon
The substance was described as a suspected ammonia spray, although one court report called it an unknown chemical substance.
Investigation
  • A woman in her thirties was arrested at the scene and was identified by officers and from mobile phone footage shared on social media.
  • The car was removed for forensic and technical examination, and investigators believe it had false number plates and may have been used in an earlier burglary.
  • A male driver reportedly remains at large, and the investigation is ongoing.
Charges
Frances Harrison was charged with assaulting the garda and with being a passenger in a stolen rental GoCar, under section 3 of the Criminal Justice (Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person) Act 1991 as cited by gardaí.
In court
On 23 September 2023 at Dublin District Court, Judge John Campbell refused her bail and she was remanded in custody to appear again the following Wednesday.
Other details
  • The garda was treated in hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and then released, and garda welfare services were activated.
  • The accused maintains her innocence, and the sergeant accepted she had not rented or driven the car.
  • Politicians condemned the attack, and a Fianna Fáil Seanad spokesperson called for mandatory minimum prison terms for assaults on emergency service members.
70 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA garda was left injured after being attacked by a suspect in Dublin. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe driver of the car allegedly attacked one of the officers before both occupants fled the scene on foot. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe driver of the vehicle assaulted one of the gardaí. (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • whatBoth occupants of the car fled the scene on foot. (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe car had been reported stolen earlier that month in the Dublin area and was recovered. (garda.ie)
  • whatA garda was sprayed in the face with ammonia. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe driver sprayed a liquid in the garda's face, later found to be ammonia. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe garda suffered injuries to his head and neck. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA garda was sprayed with suspected ammonia in the eyes. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe car was a hire car that was reported stolen. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe male driver assaulted a garda, and both occupants of the car fled on foot. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe male driver remained at large. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe injured garda was stationed at Kilmainham Station and his injuries were not life-threatening. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatOne garda was temporarily blinded after the substance was sprayed into his eyes. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA garda was sprayed in the face with a chemical substance during an attempted arrest. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe garda was taken to hospital for treatment and his injuries were not serious. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe incident happened in the Basin Street area of Dublin 8. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whereThe vehicle stop took place in the Basin Street area of Dublin 8. (garda.ie)
  • whereThe woman is detained at City Centre Garda Station. (garda.ie)
  • whereThe garda and a colleague stopped a car in the Basin Street area of Dublin 8. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe incident happened in the Basin Street area of south inner city Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe woman was detained at City Centre Garda Station. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe assault is alleged to have happened at Basin Street flats in Dublin 8. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe incident took place on Basin Street in the south-inner city, Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe incident happened on Thursday night at around 8.45pm. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whenThe incident happened on the evening of Thursday 22 September 2023 at approximately 8:45 pm. (garda.ie)
  • whenThe attack happened on a Thursday while the garda was on patrol in central Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe incident happened at around 8.45pm on a Thursday evening. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe incident happened on a Thursday, before the court appearance on Saturday. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe incident happened on the evening of Thursday 22 September 2023, at about 8:45pm. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeOfficers stopped a suspected stolen vehicle with two individuals in it. (dublinlive.ie)
  • causeThe garda was trying to arrest suspected car thieves. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponThe woman in the passenger seat allegedly sprayed ammonia into the garda's eyes. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponThe accused is alleged to have sprayed an unknown chemical substance at officers. (irishtimes.com)
  • weaponThe chemical was a suspected ammonia spray. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA woman in her 30s was arrested by gardaí in relation to the incident and is detained at a garda station in the city centre. (dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationA female in her thirties was apprehended and arrested by investigating gardaí. (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe investigation is ongoing. (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe car had been reported stolen in the Dublin area earlier that month. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe car was removed from the scene for forensic and technical examinations. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationInvestigators believe the car had false number plates and may have been used in an earlier burglary. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA woman in her 30s was later arrested in connection with the incident. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe car was being forensically examined. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA woman in her 30s was arrested at the scene. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGoCar notified gardaí that a tracking device had been removed from one of its cars. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationTwo gardaí observed the car being driven at speed with no lights. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe accused was identified at the scene by officers and from mobile phone footage circulated on social media. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe car had been reported stolen earlier that month in the Dublin area and was removed for forensic and technical examination. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA female suspect in her 30s was later arrested. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe woman is detained for an offence contrary to Section 3 of the Criminal Justice Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1991, under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. (garda.ie)
  • chargeThe woman was detained in connection with an offence under Section 3 of the Criminal Justice Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1991. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe woman was detained for an offence under Section 3 of the Criminal Justice Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1991. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe accused was charged with assaulting the officer. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeShe is also accused of being a passenger in a stolen rental GoCar. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe accused was refused bail at Dublin District Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe accused was remanded in custody to appear in court again the following Wednesday. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe garda sustained non-life threatening injuries. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe vehicle, reported stolen earlier that month in Dublin, was recovered and removed from the scene for technical and forensic examination. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe injured garda received medical attention. (garda.ie)
  • otherThe injured garda's injuries are not life-threatening. (garda.ie)
  • otherGarda welfare services have been made available and activated. (garda.ie)
  • otherThe garda was treated in the Mater hospital for non-life threatening injuries and then released. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGarda welfare services were made available to the injured officer. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBoth occupants of the car fled on foot. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA Fianna Fáil Seanad spokesperson condemned the attack and called for mandatory minimum prison terms for assaulting emergency service members. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherPoliticians condemned the attack. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBoth gardaí were injured, attended hospital and remained off duty. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe accused was allegedly a passenger in the car before it stopped. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe accused had not rented the vehicle and did not drive the car, the sergeant accepted. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe accused maintains her innocence. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 25 Sep2023
    Arrestedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Garda hospitalised after chemical attack during attempted arrest

    Reports the garda's hospital treatment for non-serious injuries and the arrest of a woman in her 30s; the second occupant of the car is not identified.

    victim, 20s, malesuspect, 30s, female
  2. 23 Sep2023
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Woman accused of spraying garda with ‘unknown chemical substance’

    Reports the charges, the alleged use of an unknown chemical spray on a garda, the bail refusal and remand, and the accused's denial of guilt.

    accused, Frances Harrison, 31, female, named, irish (judged from name)Frances Harrisonvictim
  3. 22 Sep2023
    Arrestedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Pictured: Dramatic moment ammonia attack suspect flees Gardai

    Adds that the woman was a passenger in a hire car reported stolen, that the car was forensically examined, that the male driver assaulted the garda and fled and was still at large, that the garda's injuries were not life-threatening and he was discharged from hospital, that the woman was detained at City Centre Garda Station, and that politicians condemned the attack.

    victim, 20s, malesuspect, 30s, femalesuspect, male
  4. 22 Sep2023
    Arrestedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Garda injured in ammonia attack after stopping stolen car in Dublin released from hospital

    Adds that the garda was released from hospital, that the car had been reported stolen and may have been used in an earlier burglary, that both occupants fled on foot, the arrested woman's age and the offence she was detained for, and a politician's call for mandatory minimum sentences.

    victim, 20s, malesuspect, 30s, female
  5. 22 Sep2023
    Arrestedgarda.ie, follow-up
    Assault on Gardaí and Stolen Car Recovery - Dublin 8 - September 22, 2023

    Adds that the car was reported stolen earlier that month and was recovered, that both occupants fled on foot, that the injured garda's injuries are not life-threatening, that welfare services were activated, and that the woman is detained at City Centre Garda Station under the cited Acts. Does not mention a chemical spray.

    suspect, thirties, femalevictim, twenties, male
  6. 22 Sep2023
    Arresteddublinlive.ie, follow-up
    Garda injured after being assaulted by suspect driving stolen car

    Adds that the car was suspected to be stolen, that the driver allegedly attacked an officer before both occupants fled on foot, that the incident happened at about 8.45pm, that the garda's injuries were non-life threatening, and that the vehicle was recovered for forensic examination.

    victim, 20s, malesuspect, 30s, female