A 27-YEAR-OLD man appeared in court in Galway yesterday charged with the murder of 20-year-old Kieran Cunningham in the city last month.
Alexsander Nadwodny, of no fixed abode, was arrested in Dublin on Monday evening before being taken to Mill Street Garda station in Galway where he was charged on Tuesday night.
Garda Insp Mick Coppinger gave evidence at a special sitting of Galway District Court yesterday of charging the accused with Mr Cunningham’s murder. He said Mr Nadwodny replied: ‘‘What can I say?’’, when the murder charge was put to him.
Mr Cunningham of Slievefinn, Claregalway, was fatally stabbed in the early hours of Wednesday, June 3rd last, at Williamsgate Street in Galway.
At yesterday’s hearing, Supt Tom Curley applied to Judge Mary Fahy to have the accused remanded in custody to appear before the District Court again next week.
Adrian MacLynn solicitor for the accused, did not object to the Garda application. Judge Fahy then remanded Mr Nadwodny in custody by consent to appear before the holiday sittings of Galway District Court next Tuesday.
She certified for a Polish interpreter to assist the accused at all court appearances and granted him free legal aid on hearing that while he had been employed and earning €300 a week, he was now unemployed since June 3rd.
Granting the accused free legal aid, Judge Fahy said this was a custody matter and that the question of bail was not a matter for her court. She said the accused would be retained in custody for some time and was therefore, entitled to free legal aid.
Mr MacLynn asked the judge to recommend his client receive treatment while in custody but she told him it was not a matter for the court. The prison authorities, she said, always acted responsibly and she was sure they would do so on this occasion.
Mr Nadwodny sat quietly beside a garda in the prisoner’s section of the court room with his head bowed during the brief hearing.
Relatives and friends of the deceased young man filled the courtroom.