A man accused of leading gardai on a high-speed chase in a hijacked milk delivery van with the driver’s daughter still inside was unable to appear before the District Court today due to hospitalisation, as his legal team sought access to photographs of his injuries taken on his admission to prison.
Jamie Murray (30), who also goes by the name Jamie Kinsella and has an address at St Ronan’s Park, Clondalkin, is facing multiple charges including the unauthorised taking of a vehicle, assault and dangerous driving following an alleged incident in Citywest in the early hours of May 12.
At Cloverhill District Court today, defence counsel Alexander Langan MacDonnell BL told Judge Alan Mitchell that his client was currently receiving medical treatment.
Judge Mitchell agreed to remand Mr Murray in custody until June 4, saying that a longer-than-usual adjournment was permitted due to the medical certificate provided.
Mr MacDonnell also requested that photos taken of Mr Murray’s injuries on admission to Cloverhill Prison be released to the defence solicitor. The solicitor had written to the prison service seeking the images, but the request had been refused, the court was told.
Judge Mitchell said he did not have the authority to compel the prison service to release the photos, stating they were not directly relevant to the immediate charges before the court.
“I don’t think I have the jurisdiction to direct the prison service to furnish anything. I can only recommend,” he said, adding that the issue could become relevant later if a complaint is made or if the legality of the arrest or detention is challenged.
Garda Conor Lavin previously told Tallaght District Court that the charges relate to an incident that occurred around 3am on May 12, when two men approached a milkman during deliveries at Carrigmore Crescent, Citywest.
After the milkman refused to give them a lift, the men allegedly forced their way into the van – with one of the men reportedly brandishing a weapon – and drove off while the milkman’s adult daughter, who had been working with him, was still in the back of the van.
The woman, who is in her 30s, later jumped from a side door of the moving vehicle on Cheeverstown Road. Gardaí chased the van for around 20km before it crashed into a ditch near Glencree, Co Wicklow.
Mr Murray was arrested at the scene, the court was told.