A man is facing trial after a 6-year-old child with Down’s Syndrome became separated from his family in a Dublin shopping district.
David Ryan, with an address at Foxdene Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin, but who was described as being of no fixed abode, has been charged with false imprisonment after allegedly taking the buggy the boy was in at Liffey Street on June 11th. He was refused bail.
The child, who is unable to communicate, was found when a security guard noticed him alone on a street.
Mr Ryan was charged under Section 15 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. He has not yet indicated how he will plead.
Garda Elaine Holmes told Judge William Hamill at Dublin District Court that the accused was charged at Store Street Garda station at 5.30pm on June 11th.
Ms Holmes objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the offence, and said that Mr Ryan was accused of false imprisonment in connection with the incident.
Ms Holmes said that it is alleged that Mr Ryan “took a child who was in a buggy, he pushed him across the road and took food from his hand and ate it”.
The court heard that Mr Ryan then allegedly searched the buggy and “left the child on the street”.
Ms Holmes said that the child requires “extensive care”.
She said the child “has no speech” and “could not communicate with a security guard who took responsibility for him and became aware he was on his own”.
The judge heard that Mr Ryan was “erratic and unpredictable” when he was arrested.
Defence statement
Donal Patterson BL, defending, said his client has two young children.
He said that Mr Ryan is on social welfare and gets €186 a week, and pays €80 of that in maintenance to the mother of his children.
Mr Patterson said Mr Ryan’s family is dependent on his social welfare payments and that his client’s youngest child is just three-weeks-old.
Counsel said his client is able to reside at an address in Tallaght, but Ms Holmes said she had been informed by Mr Ryan that he was of no fixed abode and that “he has been homeless since he was 12 or 13”.
Ms Holmes also confirmed that the DPP has directed that the defendant will face trial on indictment. This means that the case will be dealt with at the higher level, in the Circuit Court, which has tougher sentencing powers.
Mr Ryan remained silent during the hearing.
The judge said he had no option but to refuse bail and remanded Mr Ryan in custody while a book of evidence is prepared.
He will face his next hearing at Cloverhill District Court Friday next.