Trial underway of man accussed of Garda Mc Callion manslaughter

A Garda has revealed how her colleague told her to jump out of the way of a stolen car just seconds before he was mown down.
Garda Robbie McCallion died from his injuries on April 7, 2009, almost two weeks after he was struck by a stolen car at Tara Court, Letterkenny.
The diver of the car, Jamie McGrenaghan, appeared in court charged with the manslaughter of Garda McCallion.
The court heard how at 4.30am on March 26th, Gardai in Letterkenny received a call saying two young males were acting suspiciously around a car at Tara Court.
They arrived at the scene and saw a white Toyota Corrolla car with young man holding a rope in front of it.
There was also red Pegeout 306 behind it with lights on and the engine running.
Garda McCallion  along with colleagues Garda Joanne Doherty and Shane Lavelle approached the men but McGrenaghan reversed the Peugeot car back up the road and began revving the engine.
Garda Lavelle then told Garda McCallion to place the Ford Focus patrol car across the road as there was only one way out of the cul de sac.
McGrenaghan, of Gortnatraw, Kerrykeel then began revving the engine and screeching his tyres before driving towards the Gardai. Garda Doherty said she saw Garda McCallion tried to jump out of the way of the car and was struck by the bonnet and windscreen of the car.
Defence barrister Denis Vaughan-Buckley said McGrenaghan was with another man Cathal Dunleavy who had 32 previous convictions for burglary, car theft and other crimes whereas his client had no previous convictions at the time.
He said McGrenaghan has pleaded quilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Garda McCallion and to stealing the car.

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