Friday 30 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. 13552Assault on a Garda and endangerment · Co. Longford · 17 Feb 2024

Man with 15 dangerous driving convictions jailed for reversing into Garda patrol car

On 17 February 2024 John Baxter, a 29-year-old man, reversed at high speed into the Edgeworthstown Garda patrol car at the Pound Street and Ballymahon Street junction in Longford town, injuring its driver, Garda Karl McNabola. Baxter was originally charged with assaulting a Garda and causing him harm, driving without insurance, driving without a licence and endangerment. He first appeared before Longford Circuit Court in January and pleaded guilty to endangerment in May, with the state withdrawing the other three counts. On 3 June 2025 he was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final nine months suspended for two years, to run concurrently with the sentence he is already serving.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced3 Jun
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A man, John Baxter, 29, was jailed for intentionally reversing his vehicle into a Garda patrol car and injuring its driver.
  • Baxter reversed at high speed into the patrol car, damaging its grill and disabling it as the engine cut out.
Where
The incident involved the official Edgeworthstown patrol car at the Pound Street and Ballymahon Street junction in Longford town.
When
The incident occurred on 17 February 2024.
Cause
Sources differ on the sequence: one says Baxter drove off at speed when the garda got out of the patrol car, the other says he drove off at speed after the car stopped him, and in both accounts the garda chased him.
Other details
  • Baxter left the scene and drove towards the N4.
  • Medical reports recorded substantial soft tissue injuries and neck, right shoulder and back pain for Garda Karl McNabola, and one report noted he was mentally traumatised.
  • Garda McNabola was off work for a year and said the incident changed how he does his job.
Investigation
A check of the vehicle showed its tax had expired a number of months earlier, and gardaí identified Baxter from petrol station CCTV stills.
Charges
Baxter was originally charged with assaulting a Garda and causing him harm, driving without insurance, driving without a licence and endangerment.
In court
  • Baxter first appeared before Longford Circuit Court in January and pleaded guilty to endangerment in May, with the state withdrawing the other three counts.
  • The judge noted Baxter had 51 previous convictions, including 15 for dangerous driving, and that he was disqualified from driving and on bail for an earlier driving offence at the time of the incident.
  • The defence said Baxter has a large family, that his older brother had taken his own life, and that threats had been made against him.
Sentence
Baxter was sentenced on 3 June 2025 to three years in prison, with the final nine months suspended for two years, to run concurrently with the sentence he is currently serving.
30 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA man with 15 previous convictions for dangerous driving was jailed for intentionally reversing his vehicle into a garda patrol car and injuring its driver. (rte.ie)
  • whatBaxter reversed at high speed into the patrol car. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe patrol car's grill was damaged and the vehicle was disabled as its engine cut out. (rte.ie)
  • whatA man was jailed for intentionally reversing his vehicle into a Garda patrol car and injuring its driver. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatBaxter came to a stop and then reversed at high speed into the patrol car. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatDamage was caused to the grill of the patrol car and the vehicle was disabled as the engine cut out. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereThe incident involved the official Edgeworthstown patrol car, at the Pound Street and Ballymahon Street junction. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe patrol car was stationary at the traffic lights at the Pound Street and Ballymahon Street junction when the car caught the Garda's attention. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whenThe endangerment incident occurred on 17 February 2024. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whenThe sentence was finalised on Tuesday, 3 June. (longfordleader.ie)
  • causeBaxter drove off at speed when the garda got out of the patrol car, and the garda chased him. (rte.ie)
  • causeBaxter drove off at speed after the patrol car stopped him, and the Garda chased him. (longfordleader.ie)
  • investigationA check of the vehicle indicated that its tax had expired a number of months earlier. (rte.ie)
  • investigationGardaí downloaded CCTV stills from the petrol station and identified Baxter from them. (longfordleader.ie)
  • chargeBaxter pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment at Longford Circuit Court. (rte.ie)
  • chargeBaxter was originally charged with assaulting a Garda and causing him harm, driving without insurance, driving without a licence, and endangerment. (longfordleader.ie)
  • courtBaxter's defence counsel said he had a large family and that his older brother had taken his own life, and that threats had been made against him. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe judge noted Baxter's 51 previous convictions, including 15 for dangerous driving. (rte.ie)
  • courtBaxter pleaded guilty to endangerment in May and the state withdrew the remaining three counts. (longfordleader.ie)
  • courtBaxter first appeared before Longford Circuit Court in January. (longfordleader.ie)
  • sentenceBaxter was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final nine months suspended for two years. (rte.ie, longfordleader.ie)
  • sentenceThe sentence will run concurrently with the one Baxter is currently serving. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceThe sentence is to run concurrently with the one Baxter is currently serving. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherBaxter left the scene and drove towards the N4. (rte.ie)
  • otherTwo medical reports stated that the garda suffered substantial soft tissue injuries and pain to his neck, right shoulder joint and back. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe garda was off work for a year after the incident. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe Garda's medical reports recorded substantial soft tissue injuries, neck and shoulder pain, and that he was mentally traumatised. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherThe Garda said the incident changed how he does his job and that he was off work for a year. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherBaxter had 51 previous convictions, including 15 for dangerous driving. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherAt the time of the incident Baxter was disqualified from driving and on bail for an earlier driving offence. (longfordleader.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 3 Jun2025
    Sentencedlongfordleader.ie, first report
    Longford Garda ‘thought of colleagues who were killed’ as ‘menace to society’ crashed into patrol car

    Sentencing report for an incident from February 2024 in Longford town. No existing case matched. Adds the guilty plea, the sentence, the prior convictions and the Garda victim's account.

    convicted, John Baxter, 29, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Baxtervictim, Karl McNabola, male, irish (judged from name)Karl McNabola
  2. 3 Jun2025
    Sentencedrte.ie, follow-up
    Man jailed for reversing vehicle into garda patrol car

    Adds the court account of the incident, the victim's injuries and impact statement, the defence mitigation, the judge's remarks on Baxter's 51 previous convictions, and the sentence, which is to run concurrently with the one he is already serving.

    convicted, John Baxter, 29, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Baxtervictim, Karl McNabola, male, irish (judged from name)Karl McNabola