Man who hijacked jeep at Cork Airport has suspended sentence reactivated after he kicked and bit Gardaí
A MIDDLE-aged man had a suspended sentence for hijacking a jeep and attempting to drive it at an aircraft full of passengers at Cork Airport reactivated after a judge was told he kicked one Garda and then bit another.
Edmond Stapleton (51) was jailed for an additional three years after Cork Circuit Criminal Court found that he had failed to keep the peace and be of good behaviour in compliance with the terms of the suspended portion of his prison sentence.
On May 22 2011, Stapleton attacked a Traffic Corps Garda in Cork city centre and held a knife to his throat before threatening to kill him and then hijacking his Toyota Landcruiser after ordering the officer out of the vehicle.
Stapleton, who at the time lived at Kilbarry Cottages, Dublin Hill, Cork, then drove erratically and at high speeds down a number of pedestrianised streets before eventually crashing through the perimeter fence at Cork Airport.
He was finally subdued and arrested by armed Regional Support Unit officers.
However, he was only subdued after he had driven around the apron of Cork Airport for a number of minutes.
At one point, he attempted to ram both Garda and Cork Airport security vehicles - and he missed a plane carrying holidaymakers by just a matter of inches.
In 2012 he was jailed for twelve years with the final five years suspended after he was found guilty of 12 offences including threatening to kill a garda and driving at speed around Cork airport in a stolen airport vehicle.
Stapleton, who is now resident at Garranlease, Kilfinane, Co Limerick, had his case re-entered before Cork Circuit Criminal Court after it was stated that he had kicked one garda and attempted to bite another in an incident last year.
One condition of the suspension of five years of the 12 year prison term was that he be of good behaviour, remain free of drugs and alcohol and continue under the supervision of the Probation and Welfare Service (PWS).
His case was reentered following an application from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) after Stapleton attacked the two Gardaí in Limerick.
It was argued this represented a clear breach in the terms of his bail.
Det Sgt Chris Cahill told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that members of the Armed Support Unit from Cork went to Stapleton’s address in Limerick on June 16, 2023 to carry out a search of the property.
The search was to be undertaken as part of a probe into an attack in Wilton in Cork the previous month.
Gardaí identified themselves to Stapleton when they called to his home.
However, he then tried to jump out a window.
Det Sgt Cahill said Gardai tried to restrain him but he attacked one garda by kicking him and knocking him backwards before he bit a second officer on the arm.
The Garda who was kicked backwards suffered an injury to his arm.
He was subsequently charged with two counts of assault causing harm.
Earlier this month he was jailed for three years at a sitting of Limerick Circuit Criminal Court in relation to the incident.
Cork City State Solicitor Frank Nyhan told Judge Dermot Sheehan that the State was seeking to have the initial matter re-entered on foot of Stapleton’s recent convictions.
Defence counsel Elaine Audley BL said her client was extremely remorseful for his behaviour.
The court was told it was agreed by all parties that the defendant had suffered from mental health difficulties.
Judge Sheehan opted to jail Mr Stapleton for three years with the term to run consecutive to the three year sentence he received in Limerick Circuit Criminal court earlier this month.
The two sentences will effectively be served one after the other, meaning Stapleton faces a further six years in prison.
