This article is from page 5 of the 2007-09-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 5 JPG
A 42-YEAR-OLD man facing a string of serious charges including three counts of rape, possession of a shotgun, false imprisonment and threatening to kill, assault and bur- glary, has been refused bail.
The accused, who cannot be named for le- gal reasons, is facing eight charges in total arising out of an alleged inci- dent at a house in west Clare on Sunday, Sep- tember 9 last.
Detective Garda TJ Mol- loy told Mil- town Malbay District Court that he arrested the accused at Ennistymon Garda __ Station last Wednesday morning.
He charged the accused with eight alleged offences. He made no reply to each charge.
Superintendent Gabriel O’Gara said the DPP had directed that the case be dealt with on indictment and the State was seeking to remand the accused in custody for one week.
He said he was seeking the remand in custody on a number of grounds. These were that the charges were “very serious’ and that there was a “likelihood of interference with wit-
nesses”.
Supt O’Gara said gardai were “car- rying out enquiries in relation to ad- dresses used previously by this man.
“Based on those circumstances, I would ask that he be remanded in custody,’ said Supt O’Gara.
IDS roatesnety solicitor, | Eugene O’Kelly said he was surprised
to hear “there 1s a question of 1n- MKS ICOM ALOE witnesses”.
He noted that his client was facing “very se- rious” charges, but stressed that he was entitled to benefit from the presumption of innocence.
He said the accused had ex- Same neeb eA support.
Supt O’Gara replied that the
charges before the court were “in the higher scale, with regards serious- ness.” He said that the “family sup- port is to be admired, but it is this man here that is facing the charges. The possibility of intimidation of witnesses is a very real possibility,” said Supt O’Gara.
Judge Joseph Mangan remanded the accused in custody, to appear again in court later this week.