Ireland Case No. 5293Criminal damage · Co. Dublin · 2 Aug 2024
Man charged with criminal damage after van rammed gates of State buildings, Dublin
David O’Callaghan, 40, of Bray, Co Wicklow, appeared at Dublin District Court charged with five counts of criminal damage after a van was driven into gates at Áras an Uachtaráin, the Custom House and Government Buildings in Dublin. He was remanded in custody with consent to bail, and the court heard he suffered from delusional fantasies.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested2 Aug
4 reports - Charged2 Aug
- In court3 Aug
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports64 statements extracted from the articles
- whatSeveral gates of the Department of the Taoiseach at Leinster House appear to have been rammed into. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOne gate came completely off its post where ministers' cars enter between Leinster House and Government Buildings. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA total of three sets of gates were damaged in and around Government Buildings (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- whatA gate at the Custom House, where the Department of Housing is based, suffered slight damage (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe driver was found on the ground face down and was dressed in a full red onesie (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA man in his 40s has been charged in connection with criminal damage at several State buildings (irishtimes.com)
- whatHe faces charges in connection with five ramming incidents in Dublin (irishtimes.com)
- whatThere was visible damage to the gates to the Department of the Taoiseach and to the gates to Leinster Lawn (irishtimes.com)
- whatOne of a set of two gates close to the office of the Attorney General was knocked from its hinges (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe white van was extensively damaged to the front and rear (irishtimes.com)
- whatA man used a van to ram the gates of Áras an Uachtaráin and then drove across Dublin city to target other State buildings. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe suspect drove a Ford Transit van that crashed into the gates of the Department of An Taoiseach. (irishtimes.com)
- whatA man allegedly crashed a van into gates at three State locations in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe gardaí say the van reversed into the main gate at Áras an Uachtaráin, causing €4,750 worth of damage. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe van was allegedly driven into the gates of the Custom House, and the gates absorbed the impact. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident happened on Merrion Street Upper, Dublin 2. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereGates at Áras an Uachtaráin, Government Buildings and the Custom House were rammed in Dublin. (dublinlive.ie)
- whereThe gates at the Department of Housing on Custom House Quay were damaged (irishtimes.com)
- whereThree sets of gates at Government Buildings were damaged (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe gates at the office of the Taoiseach were damaged (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe suspect is suspected of crashing into the Department of Housing at Custom House Quay. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe alleged incidents took place at Áras an Uachtaráin, the Custom House and Government Buildings in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whenGardaí were alerted at about 2:30am on Friday 2 August 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred at approximately 2:30am on Friday 2 August 2024 (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe incident happened at about 2:30am on Friday 2 August 2024. (dublinlive.ie)
- whenThe incidents occurred early on Friday 2 August 2024 (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe alleged incidents happened within about 15 minutes. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe van allegedly arrived at the Custom House at 2:26am. (irishtimes.com)
- causeIt is understood that only one vehicle was involved. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe gates were rammed by a stolen van. (dublinlive.ie)
- causeThe suspect posted on social media before the incidents that he believed a Garda member was about to be killed. (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe court was told the accused suffered from delusional fantasies. (irishtimes.com)
- weaponA white van was used to ram the gates (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe driver, a male in his 40s, was arrested on suspicion of offences under the Road Traffic Act. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe scene was preserved for a technical examination by the local Scenes of Crime Unit. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- investigationA man in his 40s was arrested on suspicion of offences under the Road Traffic Act (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe suspect is detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in Dublin city (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are investigating social media accounts they believe are linked to the suspect (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe scene was preserved for technical examination by the local Scenes of Crime Unit (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí confirmed they were investigating criminal damage at Phoenix Gate Lodge in the Phoenix Park and the Custom House. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe van was removed by gardaí at about 8am on Friday and taken for technical examination (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe suspect was arrested after posts he made online, which went up at about 2.30am. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe suspect was first detained on suspicion of intoxicated driving and later rearrested for questioning about the criminal damage incidents. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí have ruled out any terror-related motive. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe incidents were captured on CCTV. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe accused was arrested at the scene and the van was seized. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeA man was arrested on suspicion of offences under the Road Traffic Act. (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeHe faces five counts of criminal damage to gates at the three locations. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeGardaí charged him with offences under the Criminal Damage Act, which can carry a maximum 10-year sentence. (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe is set to appear before Dublin District Court on Saturday morning (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe appeared before Judge William Aylmer at Dublin District Court on Saturday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe has yet to indicate a plea. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge imposed strict bail conditions, including that he cannot go to the city centre or Phoenix Park. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge granted legal aid and directed medical and psychiatric attention for the accused in custody. (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe will next appear at Cloverhill District Court on August 8th. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was remanded in custody with consent to bail set at €350, subject to a €5,000 independent surety. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe driver was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda station in Dublin city. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- otherOne set of gates was completely taken off its hinges. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherA message posted shortly before the van incident said the poster was going to kill, and it was unclear who the post was about. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherThe driver, a male in his 40s, was arrested on suspicion of Road Traffic Act offences. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherGardaí have found no far-right link to the series of incidents. (irishtimes.com)
- otherA major review of security at State buildings is to be carried out for the Garda Commissioner. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe accused allegedly posted a photo of the crashed van on social media. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 3 Aug2024Man who rammed van into State buildings suffered ‘delusional fantasies’, court told
First report of the case. Describes the charges, the alleged sequence of van collisions at about 2:26am to 2:30am, the bail conditions, the mental health evidence and the next hearing date at Cloverhill District Court.
accused, David O'Callaghan, 40, male, named, irish (judged from name)David O'Callaghan - 3 Aug2024Security review of State buildings to be carried out after Dublin sites rammed
Reports the van attacks on Áras an Uachtaráin, the Department of Housing and Government Buildings, a Garda-ordered security review, and that the suspect, in his 40s, was arrested after posting photographs online.
suspect, 40s, male - 2 Aug2024Man due in court over criminal damage to State buildings
First report of the charging; details the five ramming incidents, the specific buildings affected, and the condition of the white van used.
suspect, 40s, male - 2 Aug2024Gardai probe alleged threats to 'kill' after gates rammed at Dublin landmarks
Adds the arrest of a male driver in his 40s on suspicion of Road Traffic Act offences, the detention details, a garda statement, and the investigation of social media accounts and a threat to kill. Names the Custom House and Phoenix Park gates, and says the van was stolen.
suspect, 40s, male - 2 Aug2024Gardai probe alleged threats to 'kill' as gates rammed at Dublin landmarks
Initial report of the incident describing the damage to three sets of gates, the stolen white Transit van, the arrest of the driver, and the investigation into social media accounts posting threats to 'kill'.
suspect, 40s, male - 2 Aug2024Gates 'rammed' at Leinster House as gardai tape off scene
Earlier report of the same incident as case 5293. Gardaí describe it as a single-vehicle collision on Merrion Street Upper and say the driver was arrested and detained, with no name given. It adds that one gate came off its post and that the scene was examined by Scenes of Crime.
suspect, 40s, male