Judge ‘appalled’ gardaí agreed bail for man with 18 bail convictions

A District Court judge said on Friday he is “absolutely appalled” gardaí reached an agreement for a man to get bail, even though he had committed 18 offences while on bail previously.

At Ennis District Court, Judge Patrick Durcan made his comment when he threw out a bail agreement reached between gardaí and solicitor Stiofán Fitzpatrick for the 30-year-old Clare man. The judge refused bail to the accused.

The accused was before the court in relation to three alleged robberies carried out on two male victims and one female victim in east Clare last June and July. The amounts ranged from €20 to €70.

The court was told that the Director of Public Prosecutions has directed that the cases are to go forward to the Circuit Court on indictment.

Seven conditions

Mr Fitzpatrick told Judge Durcan he had reached agreement with gardaí for bail for his client, subject to seven conditions.

They include that the accused reside at an address in east Clare; obey a curfew between 10pm and 7am each day; sign-on at Shannon Garda station three times a week; remain sober; stay out of Tulla village and have no contact with the alleged victims.

However, in response to questions from Judge Durcan, gardaí told the court that the accused had 18 previous convictions committed while on bail and had 11 bench warrants issued for his arrest when he failed to turn up to court while on bail.

In reply, Judge Durcan said that courts are coming under pressure because people are committing crime while on bail. “I am absolutely appalled that the State has agreed to bail with any conditions in this case. This court isn’t merely a rubber stamp and I am not going to grant bail where we have a history of 18 previous offences committed while on bail and 11 bench warrants.”