A Drimnagh man who pointed a replica gun at Garda’s head and threatened to shoot him has been jailed for five years.
Garda Brendan O’Toole was off-duty when he spotted Michael Fagan of Sperrin Road and another person trying to rob a shop.
Garda Brendan O’Toole wasn’t on duty as he drove along Mount Pleasant Avenue on May 22nd 2014, but after spotting a robbery in progress at a nearby shop, he alerted a nearby station and went to investigate.
He managed to restrain one of the two raiders but was forced to let him go after Michael Fagan pointed what looked like a gun at his head.
The 24-year-old threatened to shoot if he didn’t let his accomplice go. Garda O’Toole then gave chase and both were eventually arrested.
Despite the fact the gun turned out to be a replica, Judge Martin Nolan said he’d “every reason to believe he was going to die”.
The court heard he was recently reunited with the shop worker, who broke down in tears and thanked him for helping him during the attempted raid.
Judge Nolan then jailed Fagan for five years.
