serial criminal | 

Woman (70) dragged along road in carjacking by convicted sex offender on countrywide crime spree

The serial offender is wanted by gardaí in relation to recent offences all over the country including car thefts and impersonating officers in order to steal victims’ wallets

Today at 17:16

A criminal who has been on a one-man crime wave all year is the chief suspect for a callous carjacking incident which led to a 70-year-old woman being hospitalised with injuries to her face, arms and legs.

The shocking incident unfolded at around 5.30pm on Tuesday at a supermarket car park in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, when the criminal in his late 40s first tried to distract the pensioner.

It is understood he flagged down the woman who was driving her car and falsely told her she had a flat tyre.

The serial offender, who is originally from Co Tipperary, than bundled the woman out of the car and drove off.

The woman was then dragged along the road for a short period because she had her hand on the car door.

It is understood the victim was still in hospital today in what is described as a stable condition.

“Gardaí are investigating the theft of a vehicle on Williamstown Road, Castlerea, County Roscommon that occurred on Tuesday 21st November 2023 at approximately 5:30pm,” a garda spokesman said. “A woman in her 70s injured during the course of this incident was taken to Sligo University Hospital Sligo for treatment,” the spokesman added.

Gardaí are following a definite line of enquiry in relation to the carjacking. The car that was stolen is described as a red Volkswagen Fox, with a registration starting with 08 RN.

The carjacker is described as middle-aged Irish man, of strong build, with dark hair. He was wearing a black coat, blue jeans, and brown shoes.

The Sunday World can reveal that the man is a convicted sex offender who is wanted by gardaí all over the country for various theft crimes committed this year.

He is suspected of currently being in possession of the stolen car and was recently involved in a terrifying incident in which he rammed a garda’s car.

Separately, earlier this month, he is suspected of stealing a Ford Galaxy car in Athy, Co Kildare.

This came after he was arrested in Enniskillen and charged with stealing a car in the Co Fermanagh town.

His address at that time was understood be in Newry, Co Down, and gardaí issued an alert about the criminal after being informed by the PSNI of his arrest in the North.

The man is linked to a series of thefts over the space of 10 days in August after he stole a car in Co Longford.

Using the stolen Toyota Corolla, the gangster then went on a one-man crime spree targeting people all over the country, from Sligo to Wicklow and even Cork.

The offences range from impersonating gardaí while stealing victims’ wallets in Co Louth to driving off without paying for fuel at a Co Cork petrol station.

The man is also suspected of stealing a bag from a person at a Co Wicklow beach and impersonating gardaí during some of his recent crimes.

“It is not an exaggeration to say that gardaí in almost every county in the country have an interest in speaking to this individual,” a source added.