Latest news with #Konyari
Sunday World
06-07-2025
- Sunday World
Man jailed for ramming Garda cars in ‘Grand Theft Auto' crime
In his Garda interview Istvan Konyari compared his antics to the video game Grand Theft Auto. A man who deliberately rammed two garda cars while driving a stolen seven tonne rigid truck and also caused €25,000 in damage to parked cars in a scene which he compared to the video game Grand Theft Auto has been jailed for three years. Cork Circuit Criminal previously heard that Istvan Konyari was without previous convictions until November 2023 when he took part in a three day 'crime spree.' His offending behaviour only ended when a member of the Armed Support Unit (ASU) fired a single shot through the windscreen of the stolen rigid truck. Det Garda Peter Quinn said that Mr Konyari put lives at risk as he rammed garda cars in the confined car park of Dwyer's Electrical in Forge Hill in Cork city on the morning of November 8th, 2023. Mr Konyari, previously of Shandon Street in Cork, put his hands over his head and got out of the truck when the ASU member fired the shot at the windscreen. In his garda interview he compared his antics to the video game Grand Theft Auto. Mr Konyari felt that it was a case of 'maximum stars' when a member of the ASU fired the single shot through his windscreen to bring his escapades to a halt. In addition to pleading guilty to the ramming offences Mr Konyari also admitted carrying out three burglaries, stealing the truck and previously stealing a van which he used to store the items he had robbed. Istvan Konyari. Photo: Facebook Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 6th Stolen items included an antique clock, coal, gas cylinders and toilet rolls. During the course of one burglary in Cork an apartment owner went in to their kitchen where they found Mr Konyari making coffee and eating crackers. He also stopped off at a garage forecourt and stole items from a washing machine. These included a nurse's uniform and children's clothing. When the owners of the uniform approached him and threatened to report him he returned the items to her. Defence barrister Alison McCarthy, BL, told Judge Helen Boyle that her client entered custody in 2023 following the incident. He had led a completely blameless life and worked continuously until 2021 when a large kettlebell fell on his head. Mr Konyari was also seriously injured in an assault in the same year. The court heard that the Hungarian national suffered mood and personality changes following the two incidents. However, he opted not to get help for his injury and instead self medicated with illegal drugs. Judge Boyle said that she was cognisant of the fact that there was 'reduced culpability' in the case arising out of the head injury. She said that she was aware that Mr Konyari was likely suffering from post concussion syndrome at the time of the offence. He was also under the influence of cocaine and cannabis. Mr Konyari wrote a letter of apology to gardai and persons impacted by his offending behaviour. He admitted that he regretted not seeking help for his head injury. Judge Boyle stated that an aggravating factor in the case was the 'havoc caused' via multiple thefts including the robbery of two vehicles. 'This is all culminated in a serious incident requiring the Armed Support Unit. You (Konyari) did a lot of damage to cars.' Factoring in the signed plea in the case, the full co operation and remorse of the accused Judge Boyle jailed him for three and a half years suspending the final six months of the sentence. She also disqualified Mr Konyari from driving for a period of four years. Mr Konyari plans to return to his native country following his release from prison as he no longer has family in Ireland. The prison sentence was backdated to when he first entered custody in 2023.
The Irish Sun
04-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Man, 38, jailed for three years after ramming Garda cars with stolen truck in Grand Theft Auto style spree
A MAN who deliberately rammed a number of Garda cars with a stolen seven-tonne rigid truck was jailed for three years. The shocking incident, which was compared to a scene from the computer game Grand Theft Auto, was carried out by Istvan Konyari in The Cork Konyari, 38, had gone on a spree of burglaries and thefts, including stealing a van which he exchanged for the stolen truck. The Hungarian national had no previous convictions and had never been in trouble prior to him being assaulted and struck on the head with a 6kg kettlebell in November 2021. Konyari, who previously lived at an apartment in Shandon Street in Cork, suffered mood swings and other changes associated with a brain injury. READ MORE IN NEWS Judge Helen Boyle said today that she believed he had reduced culpability because of his head injury. She was told his family had returned to Detective He said Konyari put lives at risk as he rammed Garda cars in the confined car park space in Forge Hill on the morning of November 8, 2023. Most read in Irish News He was only halted in his tracks when a single shot was fired through the windscreen of the truck he was driving. Konyari then got out of the truck and put his hands over his head. Gardai and RSA measures aimed at driving crash deaths on Irish roads In his Garda interview, the 38-year-old compared his antics to the video game Grand Theft Auto, the cops and robbers video game. Konyari felt that it was a case of 'maximum stars' when a member of the Armed Response Unit fired the single shot through his windscreen to bring his escapades to a halt. In the game stars indicate when a dramatic scene is potentially lethal. Konyari carried out a number of other bizarre robberies during the crime spree, all of which received concurrent sentences from the judge. He wrote a letter of apology to the court and to Gardai. 1 Istvan Konyari was jailed for three years
Irish Daily Mirror
04-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Man jailed for three years for ramming garda cars in 'Grand Theft Auto' crime
A man who deliberately rammed two garda cars while driving a stolen seven tonne rigid truck and also caused €25,000 in damage to parked cars in a scene which he compared to the video game Grand Theft Auto has been jailed for three years. Cork Circuit Criminal Court previously heard that Istvan Konyari was without previous convictions until November 2023 when he took part in a three-day "crime spree." His offending behaviour only ended when a member of the Armed Support Unit (ASU) fired a single shot through the windscreen of the stolen rigid truck. Det Garda Peter Quinn said that Mr Konyari put lives at risk as he rammed garda cars in the confined car park of Dwyer's Electrical in Forge Hill in Cork city on the morning of November 8, 2023. Mr Konyari, previously of Shandon Street in Cork, put his hands over his head and got out of the truck when the ASU member fired the shot at the windscreen. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week In his garda interview he compared his antics to the video game Grand Theft Auto. Mr Konyari felt that it was a case of "maximum stars" when a member of the ASU fired the single shot through his windscreen to bring his escapades to a halt. In addition to pleading guilty to the ramming offences Mr Konyari also admitted carrying out three burglaries, stealing the truck and previously stealing a van which he used to store the items he had robbed. Stolen items included an antique clock, coal, gas cylinders and toilet rolls. During the course of one burglary in Cork an apartment owner went in to their kitchen where they found Mr Konyari making coffee and eating crackers. He also stopped off at a garage forecourt and stole items from a washing machine. These included a nurse's uniform and children's clothing. When the owners of the uniform approached him and threatened to report him he returned the items to her. Defence barrister Alison McCarthy, BL, told Judge Helen Boyle that her client entered custody in 2023 following the incident. He had led a completely blameless life and worked continuously until 2021 when a large kettlebell fell on his head. Mr Konyari was also seriously injured in an assault in the same year. The court heard that the Hungarian national suffered mood and personality changes following the two incidents. However, he opted not to get help for his injury and instead self-medicated with illegal drugs. Judge Boyle said that she was cognisant of the fact that there was "reduced culpability" in the case arising out of the head injury. She said that she was aware that Mr Konyari was likely suffering from post concussion syndrome at the time of the offence. He was also under the influence of cocaine and cannabis. Mr Konyari wrote a letter of apology to gardai and persons impacted by his offending behaviour. He admitted that he regretted not seeking help for his head injury. Judge Boyle stated that an aggravating factor in the case was the "havoc caused" via multiple thefts including the robbery of two vehicles. "This is all culminated in a serious incident requiring the Armed Support Unit. You (Konyari) did a lot of damage to cars." Factoring in the signed plea in the case, the full co operation and remorse of the accused Judge Boyle jailed him for three and a half years suspending the final six months of the sentence. She also disqualified Mr Konyari from driving for a period of four years. Mr Konyari plans to return to his native country following his release from prison as he no longer has family in Ireland. The prison sentence was backdated to when he first entered custody in 2023.
Irish Examiner
04-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Man was thinking about Grand Theft Auto game as bullet hit windscreen during Cork crime spree
The video game Grand Theft Auto was on the mind of a man on a crime spree that culminated in the ramming of garda cars with a seven-tonne rigid truck — and the escapade did not end until a garda fired a single shot through the windscreen. It emerged today that the man had never been in trouble before this spree but had been a victim of a workplace assault when struck in the head with a six-kilo kettlebell and suffered a behaviour-altering head injury. He was diagnosed with post-concussive injury exacerbated by drug abuse. 'I think you have reduced culpability as a result of that head injury,' Judge Helen Boyle said. She imposed a total sentence of three-and-a-half years with the last six months suspended in the case against Istvan Konyari, aged 38, who had been living at an apartment at Shandon Street. He later told gardaí that the ramming felt like a scene from the video game Grand Theft Auto. During a burglary in Owenahincha during his spree, the owner of the property came downstairs to see Konyari in her kitchen where he had made himself a cup of coffee and was eating crackers. He fled when he saw her. The defendant, who was represented by Alison McCarthy barrister, apologised to all of those affected by his crime spree. He said said he was not doing well as a result of the injury he suffered and he regretted not taking help earlier. Instead of medical help and prescribed medication which he is now taking in prison, he was trying to self-medicate at the time of the offending in November 2023 with cannabis and cocaine. Grand Theft Auto came to mind for the accused at the culmination of his offending. In that game, stars indicate when a dramatic scene is at its most potentially lethal. Mr Konyari believed that it was a case of maximum stars when the member of the Armed Response Unit fired the single shot through his windscreen shortly before 11am on November 8, 2023. He came out with his hands held high. Detective Garda Peter Nolan gave evidence of the extremely dangerous and sometimes bizarre incidents that occurred in the escapade of crime carried out by the accused in a period of three days culminating in the car park of Dwyer's Electrical, Forge Hill, Cork. The accused man confessed to carrying out three burglaries, stealing this truck and previously stealing a van which he used to stash the property he was stealing in various crimes. On that Wednesday morning – November 8 2023 – he had alerted the suspicions of management at Kevin O'Leary's service station in Bandon where he was in and out of the premises without buying anything, until he eventually tried to steal two bags of coal. He threw the coal back when confronted and drove off towards Cork city and struck and damaged a wall before leaving. Gardaí were alerted and various roadblocks were put in place but he kept diverting onto back roads until he ended up driving himself into a cul de sac at Dwyer's car park. That was where he caused damage to three parked cars and deliberately rammed two garda cars. Sergeant Ian Scully was in one and Detective Sergeant Mick Lyons was in another. There were periods during the deliberate ramming when the officers were momentarily trapped in their vehicles. But the defendant persisted in his driving. Det Garda Nolan said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that officers from the Armed Support Unit arrived at the scene and one unnamed officer gave a warning to the defendant to stop driving immediately. Gardaí feared that due to the presence of members of the public on foot and in vehicles, and the refusal of Mr Konyari to stop, there was a real risk of death or serious injury. A single shot was fired through the windscreen of the truck and it was only then that there was an immediate end to the defendant's actions and he stepped out of the truck. Ms McCarthy said the defendant was seriously injured in an assault in 2021. She sais he was carrying out burglaries while living in fear of becoming homeless and was stealing things in the hope that he could sell them. Some items he stole during burglaries included butane gas cylinders, an antique clock, and toilet rolls. He went to the clothes washing machines at a garage and stole the contents of one which included a nurse's uniform and children's clothing. When the owner of these clothes approached him and threatened to report him he returned the clothing to her. Judge Boyle said in summary: 'This involved a spree of offending all the way across West Cork, culminating in a serious incident at Forge Hill and you causing havoc along the way."
