A 24-year-old man charged with threatening to intimidate a witness in a murder case has been refused bail at Cork District Court.
Mr Philip Dorney, of Nutley Avenue, Mahon, Cork, was charged with intimidating a person who is a potential witness in the case of murdered Cork man Derek O'Connell.
Mr O'Connell's badly beaten body was discovered on September 15th last in the city.
Det Garda Paul Lynch said yesterday that he had spoken to four witnesses who had promised to come to court to give evidence in relation to being threatened by Mr Dorney.
One of the witnesses was said to have been so frightened that he called gardai to say he was unable to attend the court due to illness. Two other witnesses were not contactable yesterday.
However, one witness Mr Peter O'Leary told Judge Uinsin McGruairc that he was told he would be shot if he "ratted."
Mr Dorney took the stand and denied ever making any threats against potential witnesses in the case.
Judge McGruairc refused to grant bail to Dorney and remanded him in custody until his next court appearance on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Mr Martin O'Leary (25) of no fixed abode who is charged with the murder of 27-year-old Derek O'Connell in Blackrock Castle, Cork, has been further remanded in custody. He will appear in court again on Wednesday.
Insp Dennis O'Shea asked for an adjournment of the case to facilitate the preparation of a book of evidence.