Garda charged with coercive control and assault

A serving garda has been charged with assault and coercive control of his wife.

Mark Doyle (36), who is based in west Dublin but is currently on suspension, appeared before Judge John Lindsay at Dublin District Court on Wednesday.

Inspector Adrian Kinsella of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau told court that he arrested Mr Doyle at 9.14 am and charged him nine offences, after which he made no reply.

The offences allegedly occurred between 2008 and 2019.

Judge Lindsay noted the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed trial on indictment in the Circuit Court.

The officer faces a Domestic Violence Act charge for controlling or coercive behaviour, which had a serious effect on a relevant person who is or was his spouse in 2019.

He faces six counts of assault causing harm to her and two charges of assaulting two males.

Defence solicitor Richard Young said Mr Doyle objected to two of the bail conditions sought that required him to sign on at a Garda station and surrender his passport.

The solicitor said the accused was “a serving member of An Garda Síochána” and not going anywhere.

Inspector Kinsella replied that Mr Doyle had been suspended from the Garda. He told the judge the accused faced serious indictable offences and the nature of these offences led to the stipulations being sought.

Judge Lindsay said he would not insist that Mr Doyle sign on at a Garda station. However, he would have to give the Garda National Protective Services Bureau 14 days notice if he wished to travel abroad.

He was remanded on bail until January 7th to be served with a book of evidence.