A MAN IN his twenties has been charged with firearm offences and endangerment after shots were fired at gardaí in Cork over the weekend by a suspect who was subsequently tasered and arrested.

Tommy Mannah (21) of Mount Vernon View in Cork city, appeared before Cork District Court today where he charged with a total of four offences arising out of an incident which occurred late on Friday night and early on Saturday morning.

Mannah was charged with two firearm offences including that he had a firearm or imitation firearm with him when he unlawfully used a car without the consent of the owner at Military Road in Cork city on 3 July.

Mannah was also charged that he used a firearm or imitation firearm for the purpose of resisting arrest by a member of An Garda Síochána on the M8 Northbound at Ballinahina, Rathcormac on 4 July.

The native of Sierra Leone, who moved to Ireland when he was three, was also charged with endangerment of the public in that it’s alleged that, when driving a black VW Golf, he failed to stop at the Toll Plaza on the M8 at Condonstown, Watergrasshill.

It is alleged that the car crashed in to a barrier and that Mannah created substantial risk of death or serious harm to another on 4 July.

The defendant, who grew up in Mallow, Co Cork, was also charged with unlawfully taking a VW Golf without the consent of the owner at Military Road, Cork on 3 July.

Detective Sergeant Kieran O’Sullivan gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. He told the court that Mannah made no reply to any of charges when he put to them to him after his arrest outside Mayfield Garda Station in Cork city on 5 July.

Detective Sergeant O’Sullivan said that gardaí were objecting to bail for Mannah arising out of the seriousness of the charges and the strong evidence supporting the charges. 

He said the state would allege that when gardaí arrived at the scene, Mannah fired a number of shots from a firearm at gardaí, hitting one officer in the arm before driving off at speed in a black Volkswagen Golf. 

He said the state would claim that gardaí had notified the Armed Support Unit who pursued Mannah in the VW Golf and that he was brandishing a firearm out of the window of the car and discharged a number of shots at the unit members as they followed him. 

He said the state would claim that Mannah crashed through the toll barrier at the Toll Plaza on the M8 at Watergrasshill and that gardaí deployed a stinger to puncture the tyres on his vehicle but that he refused to stop. 

He said that the State would allege that members of the Unit identified themselves as gardaí to Mannah as he got out of his vehicle and that he continued to fire at them, prompting them to return fire before he was tasered and arrested.

Detective Sergeant O’Sullivan said that the State believed that it had strong evidence to support the charges brought against Mannah including that he was in sight of gardaí at all times from the time he left Military Road until his arrest and he was also captured on CCTV footage. 

Detective Sergeant O’Sullivan said he would have serious concerns for both the public and the defendant if he was granted bail.

He accepted that the firearm turned out to be a pellet pistol and neither the uniformed officer who was hit in the arm or Mannah’s partner who was earlier hit in the eye with a pellet from the gun were seriously hurt. However, he said it was a serious incident.

“I don’t think he realises how serious this incident was and he has not given any explanation why matters escalated in the way they did on Friday night – I would have concerns for the safety of the public and for the safety of Mannah himself, if he is granted bail,” said O’Sullivan.

Mannah’s mother, Maryam told the court that her son had moved out of home when he was a teen. However, she was happy for her son to live with her in Mallow.
She gave an undertaking that if he stepped out of line with regard to whatever bail terms were imposed, she would immediately contact gardaí.

Judge Olann Kelleher said it was an extremely serious matter and having head the state outline the alleged facts of the case and their concern about granting Mannah bail, he said he was going to remand him in custody.

He remanded Mannah in custody to appear in court again by video link on 13 July for the DPP’s directions in the case. He directed that Mannah receive appropriate medical attention at Cork Prison. Free legal aid was granted in the case.

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