Wednesday 28 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. 1727Criminal damage (driving into gates) · Co. Dublin · 2 Aug 2024

Man given suspended sentence for ramming gates at Leinster House and Aras An Uachtaráin

David O'Callaghan, a 40 or 41-year-old man from Bray, Co Wicklow, caused over €60,000 in damage on 2 August 2024 when he drove a white Ford Transit van into gates at Leinster House, the Custom House and Aras An Uachtaráin in Dublin. He told gardai he was suffering a paranoid delusion that a person he believed to be his father was poisoning his food, and that he had consumed alcohol and cocaine that evening. He was initially deemed unfit for interview, spent three months in custody, and was granted bail in October 2024. On 6 May 2025, he pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to driving into the rear gates of Leinster House and two counts of criminal damage, and was given a four-year suspended sentence with 21 months of Probation Service supervision.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced6 May
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • He caused over €60,000 in damage by driving a white Ford Transit van into gates at Leinster House, the Custom House and Aras An Uachtaráin.
  • He damaged three sets of gates at the rear of Leinster House at around 2.30am, causing over €52,000 in damage, and struck the perimeter gate at the Department of the Taoiseach with such force that the van's airbags deployed.
  • At the Custom House he drove into the gates, reversed out, then reversed in a second time, causing approximately €2,000 in damage.
  • At Aras An Uachtaráin he did a sweeping u-turn in front of the entrance gates before reversing into them, rendering them inoperable for a period with repairs costing €4,795.
  • Before driving to Aras An Uachtaráin, he reversed into a vehicle parked in the forecourt of Windsor Motors, Bray, causing extensive damage.
Cause
  • He told gardai he believed a person he thought was his father was spiking and spraying poison in his food and room, and that he had been communicating with President Michael D Higgins about it.
  • He said he had consumed alcohol and cocaine earlier that evening.
Investigation
  • He was initially deemed unfit for interview, assessed by Cloverhill Prison's psychological team, and treated as an involuntary in-patient at a psychiatric facility in Dublin.
  • He was granted bail in October 2024 after spending three months in custody.
Charges
He pleaded guilty to driving into the rear gates of Leinster House and two counts of criminal damage.
In court
The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Martin Nolan.
Sentence
Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four-year prison sentence suspended on strict conditions including 21 months of Probation Service supervision, warning that any repeat offence would result in imprisonment.
Other details
He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, has 11 previous convictions including for drug offences, and his most recent work was as a kitchen porter.
26 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatHe caused over €60,000 worth of damage by driving at gates at Leinster House, Custom House and Aras An Uachtaráin. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe drove a white Ford Transit van to Chesterfield Avenue and did a sweeping u-turn in front of the entrance gates of Aras An Uachtaráin before reversing into them. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe gates at Aras An Uachtaráin were inoperable for a period of time, with repairs costing €4,795. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatAt the Customs House he drove into gates, reversed out, then turned and reversed in for a second time, causing approximately €2,000 worth of damage. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatHe damaged three sets of gates at the rear of Leinster House in quick succession at around 2.30am. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatHe struck the perimeter gate at the Department of the Taoiseach with such force that the airbags deployed and the van was inoperable afterwards. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatOver €52,000 damage was caused to the gates at Leinster House. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatBefore driving to Aras An Uachtaráin, he had reversed into a vehicle parked in the forecourt of Windsor Motors, Bray, causing extensive damage. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe told gardai a person he believed to be his father was spiking and spraying poison in his food and room. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatHe said he had been communicating with President Michael D Higgins and decided to crash into the gates to stop the poisoning himself. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatHe was initially deemed unfit for interview and later said he just lost the head and felt highly psychotic. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatHe was granted bail in October 2024 after spending three months in custody. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whenThe incident occurred on 2 August 2024. (dublinlive.ie)
  • causeHe said he had been communicating with President Michael D Higgins about the poisoning and decided to crash into the gates to stop it himself. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeHe told gardai he had consumed alcohol and cocaine earlier that evening. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationHe was assessed by Cloverhill Prison's psychological team and treated as an involuntary in-patient at a psychiatric facility in Dublin. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • chargeO'Callaghan pleaded guilty to driving into the rear gates of Leinster House and two counts of criminal damage on 2 August 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeO'Callaghan pleaded guilty to driving into the rear gates of Leinster House and two counts of criminal damage. (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Martin Nolan. (dublinlive.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Martin Nolan imposed a four-year prison sentence, suspended on strict conditions including 21 months of Probation Service supervision. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge warned O'Callaghan that any repeat offence would result in him ending up in prison. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe has since been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is receiving treatment. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • otherHe has 11 previous convictions, including for drug offences. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • otherEmails found on his phone indicated a paranoid delusion that his food had been spiked and he had been poisoned for three years. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • otherHe was granted bail in October after spending three months in custody. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHis most recent work was as a kitchen porter and it was unrealistic for him to repay the cost of damages due to his low income. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 6 May2025
    Sentenceddublinlive.ie, first report
    Suspended sentenced for man who rammed gates at Leinster House and Aras

    Reports the sentencing: a four-year prison sentence suspended on strict conditions including 21 months of Probation Service supervision. Judge Nolan warned O'Callaghan he would end up in prison if he reoffended during the suspended term.

    accused, David O'Callaghan, 40, male, named, irish (judged from name)David O'Callaghan
  2. 6 May2025
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Man sentenced for ramming the gates at Leinster House and Aras An Uachtaráin

    Provides full sentencing details: the four-year suspended sentence with 21 months Probation Service supervision, the judge's warning about repeat offending, the sequence of events at each location, the €60,000 total damage, O'Callaghan's schizophrenia diagnosis, his paranoid delusion about being poisoned, his 11 previous convictions, and his three months in custody before bail.

    convicted, David O'Callaghan, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)David O'Callaghan