Man in court charged in relation to incidents that saw officer hit by police car

A man has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged in relation to a series of driving incidents that saw a police officer struck by a stolen PSNI car.

The officer sustained what police described as serious injuries following the collision in Downpatrick at the weekend.

The court appearance came as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned what he described as a “horrific incident” and said his thoughts were with the officer injured by the stolen police car.

Kieran Turley, 27, from Vianstown Road in Downpatrick, appeared before the town’s magistrates’ court on Monday charged with dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and using a motor vehicle with no insurance.

District judge Peter Magill refused his application for bail and he was remanded in custody to appear before court again later in June.

Prior to his appearance in court, police had bailed Turley in respect of two other alleged offences – driving whilst unfit and aggravated vehicle taking causing injury – to allow more time for officers to investigate.

While in police custody he had also been questioned about the attempted murder of the police officer and several other driving offences. However, he was released unconditionally in respect of those specific offences.

Police subsequently arrested another man on suspicion of the attempted murder of the officer. The 36-year-old remained in police custody on Monday being questioning in relation to attempted murder and aggravated vehicle taking causing injury.

A woman, aged 27, was also arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and failing to stop for police.

The incidents unfolded in the early hours of Sunday when a blue Volkswagen Jetta failed to stop for officers on several occasions in the town.

The car was later located by police in the Ballymote Walk area and officers on foot pursued a man observed exiting the vehicle in the direction of the Colmcille Road.

As officers involved in this chase returned to their PSNI vehicle, they observed someone in the driver’s seat. Police said the individual drove erratically and directly towards one of the officers. The officer discharged one round from his firearm before he was struck by the stolen police car.

The police vehicle was abandoned a short time later and the suspect made off from the scene.

Monday’s court hearing did not focus on the incident involving the officer being struck by the police vehicle and rather the offences linked to the driving of the Jetta car that initiated the initial police pursuit.

Turley spoke briefly at the outset of the hearing to confirm he understood the charges he faced.

A PSNI detective constable told the court he could connect the accused to the charges.

The court heard that the Jetta failed to stop for officers on a number of occasions in Downpatrick in the early hours of Sunday, the first at around 4.45am.

On one occasion, the vehicle did stop and a rear seat passenger exited and threw a bottle at police.

The court heard the car then took off at speed before coming to a stop again, when a passenger, who appeared to be holding a bottle of alcohol, exited and signalled in an apparently confrontational way for police to approach. The car then took off again at speed.

Judge Magill read out the police’s description of the vehicle’s movements.

“Police described the driving as dangerous, weaving across both lanes of traffic, hitting the grass verge,” he said.

The court heard that when the car was found at 5.30am in Ballymote Walk, CCTV showed that the driver was wearing a red coloured top.

Officers pursued a man wearing a red top from the scene but lost sight of him.

The court was told that Turley was found at 7.30am in the garden of a nearby property, wearing clothes similar to those in the CCTV images captured two hours earlier and with the keys to the Jetta in his pocket.

Attending police said the accused exhibited “drowsy behaviour”.

The court heard Turley made no comment during his police interview.

Applying for bail, a legal representative for Turley highlighted that police had already been prepared to bail his client until September in respect of the two other alleged offences they needed more time to investigate.

The lawyer also contended that no-one had actually seen Turley driving the vehicle. He said police were also investigating whether a female had been driving the Jetta.

“So the police aren’t really sure who’s driving the vehicle,” he said.

Asked by the judge if a female had been driving the car, the detective constable said he was not in a position to “100%” confirm but added that officers were still investigating a “number of different offences”

The officer added: “I believe there has been mention of potentially a female driving the vehicle.”

The detective constable said Turley was facing charges because he had allegedly been observed exiting the driver’s door and was found in possession of the Jetta’s keys.

However, the accused’s lawyer told the court more than one person exited via the driver’s door.

He said the circumstances of the incidents remained “very confusing” and argued that Turley should be given the “benefit of the doubt” and be released on bail.

The judge rejected the bail application and remanded Turley in custody to appear before court again on June 25.

On Monday morning, the Prime Minister commented on the incident that saw the police officer being struck by the stolen PSNI vehicle.

“Violence against police officers is wholly unacceptable and will never be tolerated,” he said.

“My thoughts are with the officer who was injured, his loved ones and colleagues across the Police Service of Northern Ireland, who continue to serve with bravery in challenging circumstances.

“This was a horrific incident. Those who wear the uniform do so to protect the public and uphold the law and any attack on them is an attack on the safety of our communities.”