Fifteen people have appeared before Dublin District Court on public order charges in connection with disturbances on Wednesday night in Saggart, Co Dublin. A sixteenth appeared on a charge of violent disorder in the same area.
Judge Paula Murphy remanded the 15 facing public order charges on their own bail of €300 after they consented to conditions to stay away from Citywest and Saggart and all IPAS centres and not to engage or participate in violent protests or demonstrations.
Gardaí objected to bail for the 16th accused, Roberto Iafrate (36), a father of three, of Slade Castle Court, Saggart, who is charged with violent disorder on Tuesday, October 21st.
Having been told Mr Iafrate was due to begin work today as a plumber, that his partner is a full-time carer of one of their children and he will stay away from the Citywest area, the judge granted bail on his own bond of €3,000 and an independent surety of €5,000. She also imposed a curfew on him.
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The judge was told by Garda Shane O’Brien that CCTV from October 21st showed Mr Iafrate throwing bricks, glass bottles and a traffic cone at gardaí and “instructing” demonstrators using a megaphone.
Garda O’Brien said Mr Iafrate was among a large crowd who had gathered outside Citywest on October 21st who were throwing missiles, including rocks and glass bottles in the direction of gardaí. He said CCTV showed Mr Iafrate throwing bricks, glass bottles and a traffic cone at gardaí and standing on a wall “instructing” demonstrators using a megaphone.
He said the Garda public order unit deployed and responded to the level of violence and, after some hours of sustained attacks, the crowd began to disperse, Having been identified on CCTV, Mr Iafrate was arrested and detained yesterday. When gardaí called to his home at Slade Castle Court, he admitted it was him on the CCTV and apologised, Garda O’Brien said.
All 16 cases will come back to court on various dates in November when the accused have the option to enter a plea or seek a hearing. Further charges are possible, the judge was told.
Judge Murphy warned that any breach of the bail conditions would mean the accused faced their bail being revoked.
The 16 comprise 15 men and one woman aged from 18 to 66, with addresses in Dublin, Carlow, Galway, and Laois.
They include Tom McMechan (66), with an address at Russell Place, Tallaght; Sean Comerford (23), Sheehy Skeffington Meadows, Tallaght; Bridget Cash (21), of Boot Road, Clondalkin; and Karl Burke (34) of Deselby Crescent, Tallaght. When the bail conditions were being read to Mr Burke, he said he had not engaged in any violent protest.
The other accused include Joseph Cox (18), Gortlar Avenue, Jobstown, Tallaght; John Cox (58), Corrig Glen, Station Road, Portarlington, Co Laois; Bartosz Jaroszewski (18), Park Lane, Maryborough, Portaloise, Co Laois; David Noonan (51), New Oak Estate, Carlow; Evan Lydon (23) Caislean Oir, Athenry, Co Galway; Mircea Varga (38), Harrington Street, Dublin 8; Ashley McNally (19), a student, of Marian Grove, Rathfarnham; and Evan Freeman (23), Drumcairn Green, Tallaght.
Also before the court was Mark Farley (44), Tallaght Stone Centre, Belgard Road, Tallaght; Eamon Cox (29), Gortlar, Drumcorra Avenue, Dublin 24 and Peter O’Malley (18), Monastery Walk, Clondalkin.
In a statement earlier today, An Garda Siochána said it is continuing its investigation following incidents of “serious public disorder” at public gatherings in Saggart on Tuesday and Wednesday.
