A 33-year-old man has been remanded in custody in relation to an incident in which a garda suffered stab wounds.
Niall Alvey, with an address at Gleann Dara, Rahoon, Galway, was remanded in custody when he appeared before a special sitting of Galway District Court on Friday evening.
Sgt Fergus Gaughan gave evidence of arresting the defendant at Renville, Oranmore, Galway at 12.10pm on Friday. He told Judge Gerard Furlong that he charged him at 7.30pm at Galway Garda Station and that the defendant made no reply.
He is charged with assault causing harm to a garda who is a member of the Armed Regional Support Unit based at Salthill. The officer was taken to University College Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening lacerations on Friday afternoon.
The defendant, dressed in a blue t-shirt and tracksuit leggings, did not speak during the brief hearing at Galway courthouse.
Inspector Karen Moloney applied to have the accused remanded in custody to Galway District Court next Wednesday, May 9th, and told Judge Furlong there would be opposition to bail.
Judge Furlong granted free legal aid.
Defence solicitor Valerie Corcoran said she had concerns her client might not be able to receive necessary psychiatric care at Castlerea prison and urged that he be transferred immediately to a facility which would be able to provide this.
She said she had not been able to engage with her client to establish fitness to plead.
Judge Furlong remanded the defendant in custody to appear before Galway District Court next Wednesday.
He requested any necessary transfer within the prison service to be considered to enable immediate assessment of the defendant to facilitate a report on fitness to plead to be prepared for the return date.