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Garda’s home attacked while wife and children present as he took hi-spec car to Donegal Rally

Garda had taken seized car to event to foster relations with young car enthusiasts as home targeted in attack

Gardaí suspect the attackers saw on social media that Garda Christopher Lynch was in Donegal with the Volkswagen Golf 2.0litre, 295 bhp, 4wd car, which had previously been seized and was decked out in Garda livery for use in an outreach project.

Conor Lally
Thu Jun 27 2024 - 06:00

The home of a garda was attacked as he was attending the Donegal International Rally with a modified car in Garda livery, in a project designed to foster relations with young car and motorsport enthusiasts.

Gardaí believe there was a degree of surveillance on the garda’s family home in Co Meath before the attack last Friday afternoon, which is suspected to have been carried out by two people.

A boulder was thrown through the livingroom window, causing damage to the inside and outside of the house. The garda’s wife and young children were inside at the time.

Gardaí suspect the attackers saw on social media that Garda Christopher Lynch was in Donegal at the time with the Volkswagen Golf 2.0litre, 295 bhp, 4wd car, which had been seized during a drugs raid and decked out in Garda livery for use in an outreach project.

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Garda sources said the visit to the rally went very well. The majority of social media content around Garda Lynch and a colleague being there with the vehicle was positive as they engaged with a large number of young drivers.

However, other content struck a more negative tone and appeared to focus on Garda Lynch’s work with the Delvin Roads Policing Unit. That work has, at times, necessitated the seizure of modified vehicles from young drivers on safety grounds.

The main line of investigation for the attack on the Lynch family home is that those responsible were intent on revenge against Garda Lynch because of his roads-policing role.

Garda Lynch, a car enthusiast, was deployed to Donegal last weekend as he has been a key Garda member promoting Operation Nexus, which seeks to reach younger drivers with an interest in motorsport, with a view to improving road safety.

Gardaí said they were “investigating a criminal damage incident” at the property in Co Meath just before 5pm last Friday and were appealing for witnesses to come forward.

“Anybody who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the Kells Road-Athboy Road areas around that time or in the minutes prior to the incident, or anyone who may have dashcam footage, are asked to please contact Trim Garda station,” the Garda added.

It is understood two young men were involved and that one of them took a large decorative boulder from the garden of a house on the street. He then walked up the driveway of the Lynch home and threw the boulder through the living room window.

He was driven to and from the scene by an accomplice and gardaí believe the two men had been in the area earlier in the day, when they carried out surveillance of the house. It appears they returned in the same car some time later and carried out the attack.

It is understood some local people saw the attackers immediately after the incident.

The matter is under investigation by local gardaí and specialist units. Gardaí are examining evidence already gathered and are pursuing definite lines of inquiry.

Conor Lally

Conor Lally

Conor Lally is Security and Crime Editor of The Irish Times

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