Man (19) remanded in custody for week

A man has been remanded in custody for a week on charges of indecency, assault and robbery at a supermarket car park in Portlaoise on Saturday, November 21st.

Peter Fleming (19), Silveracre, Castletown, Portlaoise, appeared before Portlaoise District Court yesterday.

He was before the court yesterday after being remanded in custody on the three charges at a special sitting of Portlaoise District Court last Sunday.

Judge Gerard Haughton granted the defendant, a son of Fianna Fáil TD Seán Fleming, free legal aid in the case.

Insp Martin Cashen said: “The incident happened last weekend. It was an assault on a female. The charges are a serious series of incidents and on that basis I am looking for a remand in custody for one week.”

Defending solicitor Declan Breen said he was seeking bail for his client. He said it would be the defendant’s “intention to enter a plea to the three charges before the court”.

He told the judge the defendant had appeared before him as a juvenile, “with exactly the same problems he has now”.

Judge Haughton remanded Mr Fleming in custody to reappear in court next Thursday.