Suspected carjacker allegedly asked elderly man ‘Do you want to get stabbed?’, court told

Weeks later, Cillian Rafferty (20) allegedly carried out a second carjacking in west Dublin, again using “extreme violence” to rob a terrified woman of her car, this time with a 15-year-old accomplice.

Describing the cases as “horrific”, Judge Gerard Jones refused Mr Rafferty bail in Dublin District Court. He remanded the boy in custody with consent to bail.

Mr Rafferty, an apprentice carpenter of Easton Row, Leixlip, Co Kildare is charged with offences including two counts each of robbery and unauthorised taking of vehicles, one of criminal damage and one assault causing harm.

Dublin District Court heard the first incident happened at the Orchard apartments complex in Lucan, Dublin on February 6, while the second took place at Main Street, Lucan on March 1.

Objecting to bail for Mr Rafferty, Detective Garda Damien Reilly said on February 6, it was alleged the accused approached an elderly man’s van in an apartment car park.

According to gardaí, Mr Rafferty opened the driver’s door, pulled the man out and asked him: “Do you want to get stabbed?” He demanded the keys, but the man was extremely frightened and found it hard to locate them.

It was alleged Mr Rafferty punched the man in the face, causing cuts, and the man said “there’s no need to punch me” and that he would hand over the keys, Det Gda Reilly continued.

At one stage, he chased the alleged victim around the car park looking for the zapper to get out, then rammed the gates, causing €23,000 worth of damage to them. The van, worth €40,000 was later found burned out.

In the March 1 incident, a 50-year-old woman was collecting her daughter from work at a restaurant. It was alleged a male approached, demanding that she exit. According to gardaí, Mr Rafferty allegedly pointed a metal object at her throughout and she was “terrified during the ordeal.”

It was alleged the teenager got into the passenger seat and Mr Rafferty got into the driver’s side. The car was driven off, allegedly by Mr Rafferty, who was also accused of pointing the object at the woman. The alleged victim flagged gardaí down in a highly distressed state.

Applying for bail, Mr Rafferty’s lawyer said the accused, who was not known to the alleged victims, was presumed innocent and would abide by conditions.

Judge Jones said it was a “horrific case” where “extreme violence” was allegedly used in both incidents. An elderly man was dragged out of his vehicle and chased around a car park, he said.

“I couldn’t possibly consider granting bail to this man,” he said, remanding Mr Rafferty in custody to Cloverhill District Court on March 10.