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. 0049Criminal damage and threatening · Co. Dublin · 16 Sep 2025

Man jailed for two and a half years over roof tile standoff and Lidl threat in Dublin

Martin Cunningham, a 32-year-old former lighting technician, pleaded guilty to threatening a Lidl security guard with a Stanley knife in Clonsilla in February 2024 and to criminal damage arising from a four-hour rooftop standoff with gardaí on Castle Grange Avenue, Dublin 15, in September 2025. The charges included throwing roof tiles and solar panels at approximately 20 assembled gardaí, causing more than €10,000 in damage, before he jumped down and was arrested. He had been awake for two days and had taken cocaine, vodka, and ketamine, and believed shadow men were on the roof. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in October 2026, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, backdated to his arrest in September 2025.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced22 Oct
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Cunningham was charged with throwing roof tiles and solar panels at approximately 20 assembled gardaí during a four-hour rooftop standoff and with producing a Stanley knife and threatening to kill a Lidl security guard.
Where
The incidents took place on Castle Grange Avenue, Dublin 15, and at Lidl Clonsilla, Dublin.
When
The Lidl incident occurred shortly before 10pm on 22 February 2024 (charged as 23 February 2024) and the rooftop standoff ran from about 4am to 8am on 16 September 2025.
Cause
Cunningham had been awake for two days, had taken cocaine, vodka, and ketamine, and believed shadow men or ASU members were sneaking onto the roof.
Weapon
A Stanley knife was produced at Lidl and roof tiles and solar panels were used during the standoff.
Investigation
The Garda Negotiation Unit and Armed Support Unit attended the standoff and CCTV recorded the Lidl incident.
Charges
Cunningham pleaded guilty to three charges: threatening a security guard, producing a knife, and criminal damage (two counts at Castle Grange Avenue).
In court
The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Sentence
Cunningham was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, backdated to the time of his arrest in September 2025.
Other details
  • More than €10,000 (€10,200) in damage was caused to houses owned by Tuath Housing Association and a parked car.
  • Cunningham is a 32-year-old former lighting technician for film and TV, of Sheephill Green, Blanchardstown, and an uncle close to him had died shortly before the incidents.
31 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatHe removed tiles and solar panels from the roofs of his mother and neighbours' houses and threw the tiles at gardaí. (rte.ie)
  • whatHe damaged a parked car with a tile. (rte.ie)
  • whatHe removed two solar panels from one of the houses. (rte.ie)
  • whatHe shouted at gardaí that he would shoot them if he had a gun and that he would stab them. (rte.ie)
  • whatHe jumped down, attempted to run away, but was arrested. (rte.ie)
  • whatMore than €10,000 in damage was done to houses owned by Tuath Housing Association. (rte.ie)
  • whatAt Lidl Clonsilla, Cunningham and a female began throwing oranges around the store before taking alcohol to the till. (rte.ie)
  • whatCunningham picked up a lemon and threw it at the till area. (rte.ie)
  • whatHe took out a Stanley knife and said he would cut the security guard to bits and kill him. (rte.ie)
  • whatCunningham and a woman were observed on CCTV throwing oranges around the Lidl shop before attempting to purchase alcohol. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatCunningham threw a lemon towards the tills before being escorted off the premises by a security guard. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatAt 4am, Cunningham was on the roof of three houses on Castlegrange Avenue throwing solar panels and roof tiles at 20 assembled gardaí. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatCunningham said he would shoot gardaí if he had been in possession of a gun. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatCunningham caused €10,200 of damage to the roofs and a nearby car before jumping down and being arrested. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatCunningham had been awake for two days and had previously hid in a local river while believing he was being pursued by gardaí. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenHe was on the roof from about 4am to 8am. (rte.ie)
  • whenThe Lidl incident in Clonsilla occurred shortly before 10pm on 22 February 2024. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage at Castle Grange Avenue, Dublin 15 on 16 September 2025. (rte.ie)
  • chargeHe pleaded guilty to threatening to kill a Lidl security guard and producing a Stanley knife at Lidl, Clonsilla on 23 February 2024. (rte.ie)
  • chargeCunningham pleaded guilty to three charges for threatening a security guard, producing a knife, and performing criminal damage from the roof of a house in Castaheany in two separate incidents. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to the time of Cunningham's arrest in September 2025. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMartin Cunningham is a former lighting technician for film and TV. (rte.ie)
  • otherHe is 32 and lives at Sheephill Green, Blanchardstown, Dublin. (rte.ie)
  • otherHe was under the influence of intoxicants. (rte.ie)
  • otherHe had taken coke, vodka and a few bumps of ketamine. (rte.ie)
  • otherHe had recently hidden in a river hiding from gardaí who were not there. (rte.ie)
  • otherHe had been up for two days abusing substances. (rte.ie)
  • otherHe thought members of the ASU were sneaking onto the roof, but no gardaí ever went onto the roof. (rte.ie)
  • otherThey were refused service due to having no ID. (rte.ie)
  • otherCunningham is a lighting technician who also has a forklift driving qualification. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherAn uncle close to Cunningham had died shortly before the incidents. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 22 Oct2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Man (32) thought ‘shadow men’ were after him during rooftop standoff with armed gardaí

    Provides full detail of the sentencing hearing at Dublin Circuit Court, including the Lidl incident in February 2024, the rooftop standoff details, Cunningham's drug use and belief in 'shadow men', and the judge's reasoning for reducing the headline four-year sentence to two and a half years.

    convicted, Martin Cunningham, 32, male, named, irish (judged from name)Martin Cunninghamvictim, male
  2. 22 Oct2026
    Sentencedrte.ie, first report
    Man who threw roof tiles at gardaí during standoff jailed

    Sentencing details for both the Castle Grange Avenue standoff and the Lidl Clonsilla incident, including victim impact statement and defence submissions.

    convicted, Martin Cunningham, 32, male, named, irish (judged from name)Martin Cunninghamvictim, male