A man charged with having a hammer as a weapon in connection with an alleged feud-related “revenge” attack has been denied bail.
ark Malone (42), of Curragh Lane, Clara, Co Offaly, faced objections to bail when he appeared at a weekend sitting of Dublin District Court.
Gardaí charged him with assault causing harm to a man in Clara and possessing a weapon on Friday.
Garda Karl Shannon alleged the incident related to “ongoing difficulties on both sides” and followed on from a previous incident, in which Mr Malone claimed he had been attacked.
During the contested bail hearing, the garda gave evidence that the accused arrived on foot at the complainant’s home and “produced a hammer from his pocket”, threatened to kill him, and attempted to strike him.
Gardaí stopped a car later that morning and found a hammer in the footwell of the passenger seat where Mr Malone had been sitting, the court heard.
The officer maintained the accused had been in dispute with individuals in Clara with “a number of incidents to date”.
Garda Shannon alleged Mr Malone was “seeking retribution and revenge from people he is currently feuding with”.
Cross-examined by defence counsel Kevin McCrave, he agreed that witnesses to the incident were not at the bail hearing. He accepted that no injuries were caused.
The barrister put it to the garda that his client had been assaulted a day before.
Pleading for bail, counsel submitted that his client would agree to a curfew condition and effectively house arrest, sign on daily at a garda station and have no contact with witnesses. He said his client could offer an address but had no cash available because he was impecunious.
He has not yet indicated a plea, and the defence submitted the case could be kept in the jurisdiction of the District Court. However, gardaí were still awaiting directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Judge Michele Finan refused bail and remanded him in custody to appear at Tullamore District Court on Wednesday.
She noted from counsel that Mr Malone was getting treated for health issues and directed that he receive medical attention in custody. Legal aid was granted.
