Two due in court over torching of garda's private car

Two men are due to appear in court tomorrow charged in connection with an incident in which a garda’s private car was allegedly set alight while she was on patrol.

The car, belonging to a young female member of the force, was set alight and destroyed in the carpark of Scarriff garda station in east Clare early yesterday morning.

The garda had been on patrol with a colleague when she discovered her car alight at around 12.20am as they drove past the station.

Two windows in the front of the building were smashed during the same incident however the station was not affected by the fire.

Three men were arrested within 12 hours of the incident and taken to stations in Ennis, Killaloe and Shannon for questioning on suspicion of causing criminal damage. The men in their 20s and 30s were arrested in the Scarriff area.

Gardaí are investigating whether the attack may be connected with an incident in the town late on Monday night when three men were stopped by the garda and her colleague at around 10pm.

The three had their periods of detention extended last night and questioning continued throughout the day today.

One of the men was later released without charge although gardaí will prepare a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Two others will appear in court in Ennis tomorrow morning to face charges arising out of the incident.