Bray Man Arrested For State Buildings Attacks

Government buildings.. Pic: Leah Farrell Rolling News

aving taken his father’s van at 1am on Friday morning, David O’Callaghan proceeded to drive to Dublin and carried out a series of attacks by crashing into the gates of three State buildings.

David O’Callaghan

Now facing five counts of criminal damage, the locations were the gates of Áras an Uachtaráin, the Custom House and Government Buildings.

All three were within 15 minutes of each other.

The 40-year-old of The Fairways, Woodbrook Green appeared before Judge William Aylmer at Dublin District Court, having been arrested shortly after 2.30am, after driving his van into the gates of An Taoiseach’s department at Merrion Street Upper. With the van lodged into the gates, and the airbags deployed, O’Callaghan exited the van to take a picture of the damage for his social media.

An Taoiseach’s department

The damage at Áras an Uachtaráin is estimated to cost €4,750, whilst the other locations are still be assessed, with gardaí believing it to be in the tens of thousands.

Facing the possibility of additional serious charges, O’Callaghan was remanded in custody with consent to bail set at €350 but also requiring approval of a €5,000 independent surety, who must lodge €1,500.

Once bail has been taken up, the man cannot go to the city centre or Phoenix Park, contact any public representative, or post online about the case.

Reported in The Irish Times today, Garda William McCarthy explained in court that when he gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution, O’Callaghan “made no reply”, but later during his interviews was adamant that he did not intend to enter any Government building but wanted to “carry out as much damage as he could”.

Garda McCarthy also stated that the accused suffered from “delusional fantasies”, believing that his family members were not real and had been replaced by actors, who spiked him with drugs and woke him every morning at 5am with an aerosol hallucinogenic.

O’Callaghan believed that members of the Government, social welfare and the President were involved also, and that by ramming the gates, he would “put an end to the torment he had been subjected to”.

Appearing in court next Thursday, the charges against David O’Callaghan under the Criminal Damage Act carry a maximum of 10 years in prison.