Garda who responded to pub break-in viciously attacked by burglar with knife

Irish Daily Mirror

3 days ago

A Garda suffered horrific injuries to his fingers after a burglar who broke into a West Dublin pub slashed him with a knife.The respected officer was responding to a break-in at 'The Great Wood' by Wetherspoons at the Westend shopping park near Blanchardstown Shopping Centre in the early hours of Thursday morning when the horror attack unfolded.Sources say the thug managed to break into the pub and steal E1,500 in cash before the garda member attempted to apprehend him on the premises. The front of the property was damaged by the thief as he made his way inside. The criminal attacked the garda member with what is understood to have been a kitchen knife - slashing the officer in the hand.Officers managed to arrest the man as their wounded colleague was taken to hospital, where he was treated for serious injuries to his hand. It is understood his fingers were badly damaged by the sharp blade - and sources say he is lucky not to have been more seriously hurt.
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Reacting to the incident, Detective Garda Mark Ferris, who is the Garda Representative Association (GRA) representative for the Dublin Metropolitan Region West CEC told us: 'It is with real concern that we acknowledge yet another incident in which a young Garda was assaulted while carrying out their duties, this time during the arrest of an individual in possession of a knife in Blanchardstown. 'The male Garda received medical attention at Connolly Hospital and has since been discharged following treatment.
'I wish to commend my colleagues for their courage and professionalism in the face of such adversity. Attacks on members of An Garda Síochána are entirely unacceptable, and sadly, becoming far too common. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks our members face daily while carrying out their work.'
Asked for comment, a manager for The Great Wood declined to comment and referred this paper to the Wetherspoons Headquarters. In a statement about the incident gardai said: 'At approximately 3:45am this morning, Thursday 26th June 2025, Gardaí attached to Blanchardstown Garda Station responded to a report of a burglary occurring at a business premises in Dublin 15.
'At the scene, it was apparent to both Gardaí that a burglary had occurred and they called colleagues by radio for assistance. As they searched the premises, they encountered a male in possession of a bladed weapon who became aggressive and threatening. One male Garda sustained injuries. During the incident, a male in his 30s, was arrested and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda Station in Dublin. The bladed weapon was seized at the scene along with €1,500 in cash. The injured Garda, a male in his 20s, was taken to James Connolly Memorial Hospital for treatment. His injuries are not life-threatening. Garda welfare services have been made available to the Garda. The investigation is ongoing.'
The incident comes as a Garda representative told this paper this week that officers are being attacked 'on a daily basis.' Garda Eoin Browne, who represents the Roscommon and Longford divisions of the GRA, was speaking to us after a court heard how drug dealer Gerard Forte attacked two gardai with a meat cleaver - narrowly missing the head of one of them. 'Two gardai while conducting a search during the course of their duty were violently assaulted and both members were lucky to escape with their lives,' Garda Browne told us.'We have one member (Garda Michael Fox) still out sick as a result of undergoing constant medical treatment another member gave a very impactful victim impact statement where he was attacked with a meat cleaver with his back turned and only for the grace of God he could have been killed. 'It very easily could have been a lethal situation,' he said.Garda Browne said the incident highlights the all too common events where officers in the region are putting their lives on the line. 'I just want to highlight the fact that these assaults on gardai are going on on a daily basis and are not just confined to the bigger urban areas. 'Towns like Roscommon have violent criminals as well and we just need to highlight the manpower issues in two common where there's just such a shortage of gardai and this has been going on now a number of years,' he said.
Forte (29), pleaded guilty to assaulting both Garda Murphy and his colleague Garda Michael Fox - as well as producing a knife - namely a 'meat cleaver.' Forte, who the court heard already has a conviction for sale and supply of drugs and threatening and abusive behaviour, also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for the purpose of sale or supply on that same date.The court heard that Garda Murphy was saved by Garda Fox, who struggled with Forte on the floor and couch of his home before managing to restrain him with handcuffs. The drugs unit officers had made their way into the home, repeatedly shouting 'gardai', the court heard, as they executed a warrant to search his home on the suspicion that he was supplying drugs in Roscommon town. In a powerful victim impact statement read out in court, Garda Murphy, who has had to undergo physiotherapy and has ongoing issues due to the incident, said he feels he is lucky not to have been killed by Forte on that night.'It seems somewhat unfair for only me to give a victim impact statement because the reality is, is that this attack affects many many more people than just me,' Garda Murphy told the court. 'The fear that I may be attacked again, is our reality. The fear that next time, I won't be so lucky, is our reality. My tour of duty the evening of the 27th of December 2023, I have no doubt in my mind could have been my last,' he added. I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever, that Gerard Forte, tried to fatally injure me.'