A Co Wicklow man was last night remanded in custody to Cloverhill Prison until November 5th after he was charged with assaulting two men, one of them a garda, in Carnew yesterday afternoon.
Garda Ian Hayes of Gorey Garda station told a special sitting of Gorey District Court that he arrested Joseph Brennan jnr at 3.50pm at Carnew Main Street.
Garda Hayes told Judge Gerard Furlong that Mr Brennan (30) was in court on two charges of assault under section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person ACt and one charge under section 11 of the Firearms and Offences act 1990.
In response to the first of these charges relating to the alleged assault on Garda Martin Kavanagh, Garda Hayes told the court Mr Brennan had replied: "That is the guard I attacked with the knife."
In relation to the second charge that Mr Brennan had assaulted Joseph Brennan snr at School Heights, Carnew, Garda Hayes said the defendant made no reply.
Garda Hayes also gave evidence that Mr Brennan replied "I am very sorry" when charged with producing an intimidating weapon.
Supt Catherine Kehoe asked Judge Furlong to remand Mr Brennan in custody pending possible additional charges.
Solicitor McCartan O'Gorman told the court he would not oppose the remand application but asked Judge Furlong to recommend any necessary psychiatric services be made available to his client immediately.
Mr O'Gorman said his client was employed in the construction industry and earned more than €500 a week. However, in view of the seriousness of the charges, he felt he should apply for legal aid.
Judge Furlong replied that given the nature of the charges, he would "err on the side of caution and grant legal aid".
Judge Furlong remanded Mr Brennan in custody to the 10.30am sitting of the Cloverhill District Court on November 5th.
After the court case, Supt Kehoe said Garda Kavanagh had been released from Wexford General Hospital with 16 stitches to his head.