Ennis man in court over alleged machete carjacking

A 22 year old Ennis man has appeared before a court charged with hijacking his neighbour’s car using a 29 inch bladed machete in Ennis this past Thursday.

Declan Sherlock with an address at 40 Dromard, Lahinch Road, Ennis appeared before a special sitting of Ennis District Court on Friday having been charged with eight offences alleged to have occurred on Thursday, December 21.

Evidence of arrest charge and caution was given to Judge Marie Keane by Detective Garda Damien O’Connor.

Mr Sherlock is charged with using the threat of force and intimidation to unlawfully seize control of a car by threatening to stab a person with a machete at an address in Dromard, Lahinch Road, Ennis contrary to Section 10 of the Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act 1976.

He is further charged with having a machete with a 29 inch blade in a public place, and that he intended unlawfully to use it to intimidate a person by allegedly threatening to stab the owner if he did not hand over his car keys, contrary to Section 9(5) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990.

In a reply after caution to this charge Mr Sherlock said, “I wish to apologise to that man”.

Mr Sherlock is also accused of driving with no licence or insurance at Carrigoran Newmarket on Fergus and with two counts of dangerous driving at Carrigoran and also at Ballycasey, in Shannon.

There was no application for bail, but solicitor Edel Ryan applied for free legal aid for her client, and this was granted by Judge Keane.

The court heard that a bench warrant was also in existence for Mr Sherlock in relation to his failure to appear in court on December 13 last.

Ms Ryan stated that her client knew he was required in court on that date and could offer no explanation about his failure to attend.

The matter was adjourned into a special sitting of Limerick City District Court on December 29 at 11am, where the defendant is to appear by video link.