A MAN appeared at Kenmare District Court yesterday after his arrest in Tralee, Co Kerry, on Thursday night on foot of a bench warrant issued in Cork in September.
John Walsh (42), Trieneragh, Duagh, Listowel, Co Kerry, was remanded in custody to Cork Prison, after the State strongly objected to bail.
A Garda witness who travelled from Cork city, Det Sgt Vincent O’Sullivan, told the court he knew Mr Walsh.
Gardaí in Cork had been seeking Mr Walsh since he had “vanished” on August 18th, Det O’Sullivan said.
He had failed to turn up at Cork District Court on September 23rd on a section 3 charge (under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997) of assault causing harm, “a matter which the DPP has directed to be dealt with on indictment”.
Mr Walsh had left his address at Cork Street, Mitchelstown, without notifying gardaí and he had a history in recent years of failing to turn up for court appearances, Det O’Sullivan said.
In fact, this was the third bench warrant issued for him. Gardaí in Cork believed Mr Walsh would abscond to England, if released on bail, the detective said.
Giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution, Det Sgt John Brennan of Tralee Garda station said he had arrested Mr Walsh on foot of a bench warrant at 7.05pm on November 6th at a house in Baloonagh Estate, Tralee, and brought him to Tralee Garda station.
Det Brennan said he formally arrested him yesterday morning and after caution the defendant made no reply.
He had been charged with failing to appear at a hearing on September 23rd in Cork District Court.
The State was objecting to bail, Insp Barry O’Rourke told the court.
Taking the stand, Mr Walsh told the court that he had been undergoing treatment for alcohol and drug addiction problems and he would turn up for his next court appearance.
He did not appear in September because the person “who had me up in court” said they were not pressing any charges and would not be giving evidence, he said.
The alleged injured party was a friend of his girlfriend and she had told his girlfriend she would not be turning up, Mr Walsh told the court. However Insp O’Rourke said the charge had not been withdrawn.
In the case of the other bench warrants issued for him, one was “a long time ago” and in the other, his solicitor had made a mistake and “the judge gave me bail straight away”, Mr Walsh said.
He also said he had left his previous address because his place was gone after he had emerged from residential treatment for his addiction problems.
Judge James O’Connor remanded Mr Walsh in custody to Cork Prison to appear at 10.30am on Wednesday.