Man deliberately crashed car into another believing occupants insulted his daughter’s disability, court hears

By Fiona Ferguson

A man who intentionally crashed his mother’s car into another car containing two people in a case of mistaken identity has avoided a jail term.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Carl Finnegan (34) was looking for a person he had heard had insulted his daughter with reference to her disability.

Finnegan deliberately rammed into a car containing a man and his son, later telling gardaí he was under the mistaken belief they were the person he had been looking for.

Finnegan of Rathvilly Park, Finglas, pleaded guilty to endangerment, production of a knife and driving with no insurance at Fitzwilliam Square North, Dublin 7, on April 4, 2020.

He has 13 previous convictions, the majority of which are for road traffic offences.

Judge Melanie Greally noted the injured party had been a innocent victim of mistaken identity and the accused man was acting in anger in response to a perceived slight in relation to his daughter.

Judge Greally noted aggravating factors in the case included the premeditated nature of the actions and that he had armed himself.

She gave credit for his guilty plea, remorse and the fact he has not come to any further attention of gardaí.

She also took into account the positive steps Finnegan had taken to address the regulation of  his emotions and anger management.

Judge Greally imposed a 20 month sentence which she suspended in full, warning Finnegan the outcome would be different if he came before the court again in relation to charges involving weapons or violence.

Garda Helen Kildea told Aideen Collard BL, prosecuting, the offending arose from a case of mistaken identity where the victims were not the intended targets of the crime.

Gda Kildea said that a man was parked in a car with his son in Fitzwilliam Square North when he saw the accused in a black Toyota come to a violent stop.

Finnegan was stopped for around thirty seconds staring into the car.

Finnegan drove closer at a great speed, skidded to a halt and then stared at them for about a minute. He then deliberately rammed his car into theirs.

The man shouted demanding to know what he was playing at, then noticed that Finengan was holding a knife he described as a large butcher knife or machete. Finnegan then drove off quickly, frightening a pedestrian as he passed by.

Neither the man nor his son suffered any injuries during the incident.

Finnegan was arrested after gardaí located the visibly damaged car that belonged to his mother.

In interview with gardaí, Finnegan said he was looking for a man he had been told had insulted his daughter with reference to her disability and that they had arranged to meet in the area.

Finnegan said it was a case of mistaken identity and accepted he had intended to injure the victims while under the belief they were who he was looking for.

He accepted he had a knife, but claimed it was a butter knife.

Gda Kildea agreed with Andrew King BL, defending, that from the outset his client accepted full responsibility for the position he finds himself in. She said she did not anticipate coming across Finnegan again.

The garda agreed with counsel that his client’s daughter requires 24 hour care. She agreed that his client was spurred by a “heinous message” he had received and that while his reaction was “appalling”, there was a context to that reaction.