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. 12412Dangerous driving and assault on gardaí · Co. Louth · 3 Jan 2024

Man who drove stolen car at Gardaí in north Louth jailed

Stephen McDonagh was sentenced at Dundalk Circuit Court after driving a stolen car at gardaí in north Louth and escaping across the border in January 2024. He was jailed for four years and nine months.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced15 Oct
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
13 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA black Kia Ceed was stolen from a driveway in the Ballymakellett area after its key was stolen. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • whatThe defendant drove at the victim's son on the R174 at Dulargy, forcing him to jump out of the way. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • whatThe car collided with a garda van before the defendant escaped across the border. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • whereThe car was driven dangerously through Ravendale. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • whenThe defendant escaped across the border on January 3rd of the previous year. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • investigationThe defendant was linked to a burglary in the area after dropping his bail bond at the scene. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • investigationGardaí arrested the defendant on Bridge Street the next morning, when he was in the driver's seat of a stolen Landrover Defender. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • chargeThe defendant was charged with two counts of assault after spitting blood at two gardaí. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • courtJudge Dara Hayes finalised the case. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • sentenceThe man was jailed for four years and nine months at Dundalk Circuit Court. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • sentenceSentences totalling six years and nine months were imposed, backdated to when the defendant went into custody in January of the previous year. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • sentenceThe final two years were suspended on the defendant entering a good behaviour bond and placing himself under Probation Service supervision for 18 months after release. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • otherThe defendant has 248 previous convictions. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 15 Oct2025
    Sentenceddundalkdemocrat.ie, first report
    Man who drove stolen car at Gardaí in north Louth jailed

    Sentencing report for a January 2024 incident in north Louth, with details of the stolen-car offences, the garda assault charges and the sentence imposed.

    convicted, Stephen McDonagh, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Stephen McDonagh