Man who drove jeep at plane jailed for breaching bail

A man who hijacked a jeep and drove at a plane at Cork Airport in 2011 has been jailed for an additional three years after he failed to keep the peace and be of good behaviour following his release from prison for his crime.

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that on 22 May 2011, Edmond Stapleton, who is now 51, attacked a traffic corps garda at Cork Airport, held a knife to his throat and threatened to kill him before hijacking his Toyota Landcruiser.

Stapleton, who at the time lived at Kilbarry Cottages, Dublin Hill, Co Cork, then drove erratically and at speed down a number of pedestrianised streets and crashed through the perimeter fence at the airport.

He was subdued and arrested by the armed regional support unit but not before he drove around the apron of Cork Airport for a number of minutes.

He attempted to ram garda and airport security vehicles and narrowly missed a plane full of holidaymakers.

In 2012, he was jailed for 12 years with the final five years suspended after he was found guilty of 12 offences, including threatening to kill a garda and driving at speed around Cork Airport in a stolen airport vehicle.

Stapleton, who now lives at Garranlease, Kilfinane, Co Limerick, had his case re-entered at Cork Circuit Criminal Court following a DPP application after he kicked one garda and bit another in Limerick.

This represented a breach in the terms of his bail.

A condition of the suspension of the five years was that he be of good behaviour, remain free of drugs and alcohol and under the supervision of the probation and welfare service.

Detective Sergeant Chris Cahill told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that members of the Armed Support Unit from Cork went to Stapleton's address in Limerick on 16 June 2023 to carry out a search of the property.

The search was to be undertaken as part of a probe into a shooting in Wilton in Cork the previous month.

Gardaí identified themselves to Stapleton at his home.

He then tried to throw himself out a window.

Det Sgt Cahill said gardaí tried to restrain him but he attacked one garda and bit another.

He was subsequently charged with two counts of assault causing harm.

Earlier this month he was jailed for three years at a sitting of Limerick Circuit Criminal Court in relation to the incident.

Cork city State solicitor Frank Nyhan told Judge Dermot Sheehan that the State was seeking to have the initial matter re-entered on foot of Stapleton’s recent convictions.

Defence barrister Elaine Audley BL said her client was extremely remorseful for his offending behaviour.

Judge Sheehan opted to jail Stapleton for three years, which will run consecutive to the three-year sentence he received in Limerick Circuit Criminal court earlier this month.

Effectively taking the two offences into account, he will be in prison for another six years.