Ireland

Man charged with hijacking of a car with baby inside

Man appears in court in Dublin charged in connection with incident on Monday

Judge Gerard Jones adjourned the case until October 3
Judge Gerard Jones adjourned the case until October 3. (Brian Lawless/PA)

A man has appeared in court charged in connection with the hijacking of a car and the abduction of a baby girl.

Noel Ryan, 47, of no fixed abode, appeared before Dublin District Court on Thursday.

The court heard that the baby’s mother was taking the buggy from the boot of the car when the incident happened at Mountjoy Square West in the capital on Monday.

Ryan is accused of unlawfully taking the baby girl from the lawful control of her mother and the unlawful seizure of a vehicle.

Detective Garda Paul Griffin, of Mountjoy Garda Station, told the Dublin court that Ryan was charged with the offences shortly after 3pm on Thursday.

He made no reply to the charges.

He told the court that at around 1.45pm on Monday, the five-month-old baby was sitting in the rear seat of the vehicle while her mother was removing the buggy from the boot of the car.

It was alleged that the vehicle was taken by force from the mother while the baby was inside the car.

It is alleged that Ryan entered the vehicle and drove off.

The car was then recovered at around 4pm later that day. The court heard that the baby was in the car and unharmed.

Mr Griffin said there was objection to bail, however the accused’s solicitor Eoin Lysaght said there was no application for bail.

Mr Lysaght said there was also an application for legal aid, which was granted.

Judge Gerard Jones adjourned the case until October 3, with Ryan appearing before Cloverhill Court.