Five people have appeared before Mallow District Court in Co Cork charged in connection with a two-hour standoff in which a garda received serious head and eye injuries and another was left badly shaken.
The five individuals were all arrested on Monday morning following an incident in Midleton, Co Cork. One garda remains in hospital following the melee.
Simon Quilligan, who is in his forties and the father of 16 children, two of his sons, John (22) and Sammy (18), his daughter Lisa Grey (27) and her boyfriend Patrick Cash (22) were all charged with the same offence.
They stand accused that on December 15th last, at Ballymartin, Dungourney, Midleton, while threatening to kill or commit serious bodily harm in the course of a dispute, did produce in a manner likely unlawfully to intimidate another person, an article capable of inflicting serious injury, namely knives, shovels, a rake, step ladder and sticks.
Inspector Tony O’Sullivan said the defendants made no reply after they were arrested, charged and cautioned in relation to the offences.
The State objected to bail for the five accused. The court was told that, during the standoff at the gateway to the Quilligan’s home at Ballymartin, Patrick Cash threatened to kill gardaí with a stick.
Gardai also expressed concerns about a bail application for Lisa Grey because of her lack of a permanent address. Solicitor Joe Cuddigan told Judge Brian Sheridan that Ms Grey did not pose a flight risk as she is the mother of a five-year-old child.
The State also objected to bail for John Quilligan because of the seriousness of the charge and because he threatened gardaí. Mr Quilligan lives at Shannon Lawn in Mayfield, Cork. He is a father of seven and his partner is expecting his eighth child.
The state also objected to a bail application on behalf of Simon Quilligan (46) because of two outstanding bail warrants. He is the father of 16 children. An objection to bail was also made in the case of Sammy Quilligan because of the seriousness of the charges.
Judge Sheridan granted bail to four of the defendants. He remanded Patrick Cash in custody to appear before Midleton District Court again on Thursday so that he can furnish proof of a permanent address.
John, Simon and Sammy Quilligan together with Ms Grey were released on bail to appear before the court in Midleton on January 15th next.
However, they have to abide by certain bail conditions. These include residing at the addresses given to the court and signing on daily at their local garda stations. All four were told that they could not go east of the Dunkettle roundabout. They were also warned not to indulge in alcohol. Free legal aid was granted to all five defendants.