This article is from page 17 of the 2011-05-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
A COURT has heard allegations that a man threatened to kill his brother-in-law at Shannon Airport last week.
Martin Joyce (20), of St Patrick’s Mews, Clarecastle, is accused of threatening to kill Michael Ward, at Shannon Airport, last week.
At Ennis District Court on Friday, Detective Sergeant Kevin O’Hagan applied to remand the accused in custody. He said the alleged incident was of a serious nature and he said that gardaí believed witnesses may be interfered with if bail was granted.
Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said that her client and his family went to the airport last week by bus en route to a pharmacy in Shannon.
She said he was at the airport with the purpose of getting a cab to the town centre.
The accused told the court that he was talking to another individual at the airport when Michael Ward approached and started “mouthing off”.
He said he did not go to Shannon to cause trouble. He denied making any threat to Michael Ward.
“He’s my brother-in-law,” he told the court.
He denied suggestions that he was acting in an aggressive manner at the airport.
Ms Godfrey applied for bail on behalf of her client.
“My client could not have gone down to Shannon with the expectation of meeting the Wards.
“He was looking for a taxi in the vicinity of the airport,” she said.
She said her client has a constitutional right to bail. However, Judge Joseph Mangan refu
sed bail and remanded the accused in custody for a week. He said he was making this decision based on the State’s evidence and also based on the gravity of the charge before the court.