MEMBERS of an armed Garda support unit were called to Limerick District Court building yesterday following a stand-off between gardaí and members of rival criminal gangs and claims by a solicitor that he was assaulted.
Gardaí attached to the armed regional support unit were alerted shortly before midday after tensions rose in the corridor outside the packed courtroom.
About 20 gardaí, who were present inside the court, quickly moved to calm the situation outside along with armed members of the special unit.
Judge Tom O’Donnell ordered that the corridor be cleared outside and he called for a short adjournment.
When proceedings resumed defence solicitor John Devane told the court he had been assaulted outside and was “too upset” to continue with his work.
“I’ve just been assaulted in the hall and I’m too upset to go on with the list today,” he said.
Mr Devane looked visibly shaken when court resumed after the brief adjournment.
It is alleged the solicitor was grabbed by the throat and thrown on to the ground by a leading member of a criminal gang.
The Limerick gang member – who was not listed for a court appearance yesterday – was accompanying an associate who received a suspended sentence on a road traffic matter.
When the court resumed armed gardaí remained posted at the entrance to the court. A Garda spokesman said the matter would be investigated but said no official complaint had yet been lodged.
Meanwhile, Limerick’s mayor Kevin Kiely, who is also chairman of Limerick’s joint policing committee, yesterday repeated his calls for the local District Court to be relocated.